Remembering the Past and Facing the Future Together
by X the Reaper
Summary: With Albert dead and Model W vanquished, the world begins to heal. As the celebration for the Guardians and Hunters at Legion draws near and coincides with the memorial of her own personal hero, Aile wonders if the future she's fought for includes a certain Reploid by her side. Meanwhile, Grey wonders if the woman who taught him about destiny is willing to be a part of his.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, ladies and gentlemen. X the Reaper returns after years of silence to bring you a new story, even if it's not what many of you likely expected of me given my usual and more well-known works. But before _Fate_ was even a blip on my radar, it was _Mega Man ZX_ that held my attention, even being the first series I wrote about (even if that one was incredibly rough by my standards now).**

**I started this originally back when I had an urge of inspiration to do another run of _Mega Man ZX_ and later _Advent_, reminding myself why I love those games. Then I left it alone to simmer until I got word of the _Mega Man Zero ZX Legacy Collection_ coming out, and my muse started spinning again.**

**As for inspiration for this one, I was always disappointed at the lack of Grey/Aile fanfics when I've found multiple Vent/Aile, Vent/Ashe, and even Grey/Ashe pairings here. I freely admit romance is not my strong suit, particularly when it's the actual focus, but I'm willing to give it a try in honor of one of favorite games of all time.**

**Disclaimer: _Mega Man ZX_ is property of Capcom and Inti Creates. If it were up to me, we would have already gotten_ MMZX 3_.**

* * *

Being a hero was something Aile had never regretted becoming. Ever since her mother died in a Maverick attack when she was a child and being saved from the same fate by her foster parent Girouette, a member of the independent peace-keeping force known as the Guardians, the future hero always deep down wanted a chance to make a difference in the same way. When she met that mysterious talking device known as Biometal Model X and learned she was a "Chosen One", capable of wielding the power of ancient heroes, she had jumped into the role with gusto. She wanted to save those who couldn't save themselves, just like it had happened to her all those years ago, and take revenge on the monsters that stole what was hers. To become a "Mega Man."

When she learned Giro was a Chosen One just like her from before he even met her, she had felt surprise and some level of betrayal at the long-kept secret but also joy that she would have a familiar face by her side. When he died and gave up his Biometal, Model Z, so that she could live, she swore she would get revenge for both their sakes and continue the fight. When she struck down Serpent, Giro's killer and the man responsible for the attacks responsible for her mother's death with so many more, and destroyed his Model W, that cursed machine containing the soul of a man worthy of being called the Devil, she had reaffirmed her convictions to be a hero even as she learned she had the very same potential to rule and destroy the world as that madman.

It had been over four years that fateful day and despite the trials she had come even farther, forming lifelong bonds with countless other humans and reploids and even saving the world yet again from Model W, this time with some help. In that time, she had matured in body and mind and had become the kind of person she knew Giro would be proud of, even if that victory had seemingly come at the cost of both a good friend and her last remaining tie to him.

But there were times she really, _really_ wondered if maybe she should have just stayed an ignorant transporter and let someone else be the hero.

"Do I really have to, Prairie?"

Aile didn't want to sound like she was complaining, but she knew the tone that escaped her mouth couldn't be taken any other way. The fact she was currently sitting cross-legged on the bed of her room and only wearing her usual black bodysuit certainly didn't add to a professional appearance, although it was only due to the identity of the bearer of bad news that she had even allowed them into the room without changing in the first place.

Before her in a swivel chair sat a teenage woman with long blond hair who looked a few years younger than herself, clad in a pink military uniform complete with cape and cap. Said cap was currently in her hands, showing the red inverted triangle in the middle of her forehead that marked her as a reploid, an artificial human. Of course, in 24XX when cyborgs like Aile were running around commonplace, the line between the two of them wasn't nearly so clear-cut.

"Look, Aile, I know you've never been a fan of these sort of things..."

"That's an understatement, Commander."

Prairie just rolled her eyes. "But we Guardians do have appearances and reputations to maintain, you know, for public relations if nothing else. This invitation comes straight from Legion itself. It would be in poor form to just ignore the world government offering to host a celebration in our honor for helping to stop the world from being destroyed." She gestured to the small tablet in Aile's lap. "Especially since you've been invited as a guest of honor."

Aile's eyes reluctantly glanced down at the screen again, which showed an open message from Legion HQ addressed directly to the woman in front of her, dated several weeks ago.

_To Commander Prairie of the Guardians,_

_Allow me to begin this message with my sincerest condolences for the casualties your organization suffered during the battle against Albert upon Ouroboros, which I understand was only the most recent clash you've had with the evil caused by Biometal Model W. Your aid alongside the Hunter's Guild have once more ensured that peace can flourish upon the planet, but those losses are something no amount of sympathy and gratitude can repay, as much as I would dearly wish otherwise._

_In light of this, however, Master Thomas and I would like to extend an invitation to the Guardians for a celebration honoring the struggles of those who have fought long and hard against the darkness that Model W has shrouded our world in. We feel it is only right that the Guardians should receive special recognition as the group who has carried out the fight the longest against this ancient evil now vanquished from our world, and we would be honored and beyond humbled should you accept. There will be food and drink aplenty, and I'm certain it will be a fine time to toast to the memory of the fallen and look forward to the future, whatever that might bring._

_And while it is well within her right to refuse, we also hope that your sub-commander is willing to make an appearance for a special awards ceremony honoring her personal struggles. Legion has not forgotten the tales of a hero who four years ago stopped a madman from prematurely awakening Model W for his plans of world domination, and who she lost in the process. Nor are we ignorant of the part she played in stopping our former comrade now and who she lost then as well. It would only be fitting to finally have the world recognize her for her deeds and sacrifices past and present._

_And of course, if she's feeling lonely, we'll be sure to send a similar invitation to that spirited young man who she helped win the day. I'm certain he'll be happy to show up and make her feel better. And we can't forget his brave Hunter comrades who joined the fight to challenge Albert...for a price, of course._

Aile rolled her eyes a little upon reading that part...though a part of her wouldn't mind seeing Grey again so soon. The Reploid had just as much a stake in the conflict as she did, after all, given his origins, and he had been the one to finish the job. Plus, seeing him out of his usual wear and in a suit would actually be pretty funny.

Her eyes skimmed over the rest of the letter quickly, noting it was just party details and the like...

_We've chosen a suitable date for the celebration to be the upcoming anniversary of the fall of Slither Inc and the first Model W, both for the symbolism and for the convenience of an important date so soon after Albert's defeat to help assuage a world still reeling from the defeat of the Mavericks and Model W's final fall. _

_We hope to hear from you soon,_

_Master Mikhail of the Sage Trinity_

"'Convenience', eh?"

Aile couldn't help but frown cynically at the choice of words, even if she wasn't blind to the turmoil around the world. The destruction of the traitorous Master Albert's doomsday device may have hampered Maverick attacks greatly, but even months later the fallout of the mad Sage's plans still haunted the planet. Murderous robots and other criminals were still running rampant, and countries were combating both outer and inner threats to security. People were still scared for themselves, their loved ones, and their ways of life.

The Guardians had their hands full dealing with those problems and even with the Hunter Guilds pitching in, it was a tedious time. Aile herself had just hours ago come back from single-handedly wiping out a gang entrenched in a building, and that was her third big mission when the week hadn't even rolled over to Tuesday. She was feeling the strain and so were the rest of the Guardians. She only had to look up at Prairie and see the lines on her face and bags under her eyes to know how the commander felt, since it matched what she felt when she looked in the mirror. A moral booster would do everyone some good.

But still, it sounded so calculated and political with ulterior motives.

_"I know the feeling."_

Both women glanced at the blue, fist-sized metal device with a red jewel in its "head" and a vague face on the front that was resting on Aile's pillow. The blue eyes light up as the voice from before spoke again, the calm yet firm male voice filling the room.

_"Back in my day, as much as that makes me sound old, my superiors held several celebrations after our victories against particularly dangerous Maverick threats,"_ Model X clarified. _"They were meant as a reward for our hard work, as well as sending a definite message to the world as both a warning to other threats and a reassurance for humans and Reploids alike that we wouldn't stop fighting. The ulterior bit always made it a little harder to enjoy them, especially when the threats just kept popping up...or maybe that was just me being a wet blanket wondering when the fighting would finally stop."_ He let out a bit of a self-deprecating chuckle. _"Everyone always got onto to me about that."_

The two women let out their own laughs.

"You're not alone in that, X," Prairie assured him before looking back at Aile. "Though I think it's not just the celebration that's bothering you, huh?"

Prairie's words caused Aile to sigh again, the light mood dropping away again. The elephant was noted, might as well spell it out.

"Look, I know that it's a big honor and something worth celebrating, okay? We could all use a few hours to just let go and have fun anyways. I could grin and bear the boring parts, maybe even enjoy myself with some good food and talk. I'd even enjoy being applauded like a hero by the world, even if it's not really my thing." She looked down at the screen again, her eyes on that date. "It's just...did it have to be _that _day, of all days?"

Prairie's eyes grew sadder. "Aile..."

"I know it's selfish, Prairie. I just hate breaking promises."

Prairie simply sighed herself. "As both your commander and your friend, I'm not going to force anything on you. You can accept or decline the guest of honor invitation at your own discretion. Just give it some thought. The party is still a week out." She stood up. "Until then, consider yourself off-duty. Unless we have an emergency, you're a free bird." She jerked a thumb towards the window and the outside with a smile. "Get outside and get some fresh air. That's an order."

"An abuse of power," Aile grumbled goodnaturedly as she swung her legs up and off the bed to grab some clothes. Prairie just smiled as she opened the door and exited.

_"She means well,"_ Model X piped up. _"It has been a while since we've taken a decent break."_

"I know, X," Aile answered as she pulled on her shorts before grabbing her jacket. "Prairie's just being the good 'big sis'. Anyway, where you wanna go?"

The Biometal floated up and over to Aile. _"Hmm...I was thinking somewhere green...we've been trudging about in caves and urban areas a little much recently."_

Slipping on her boots, Aile nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Z would-!"

She paused, the slip of the tongue bringing up a still-fresh wound no Guardians, and especially X and herself, wanted to broach at the moment. Aile recovered quickly and tried to brush it off, but the mood had been affected and both of the room occupants knew it.

"Yeah, a nature walk would be good," she finished neutrally.

Model X looked like he wanted to say something in response, but he held it in. She was thankful for that, even though a part of her felt like crap for it. The bond between X and his counterpart was one even she felt like she only understood some of despite spending years with them. After all, they had literal centuries of history between them.

"Wanna make it a nostalgia trip?" she prompted as they moved towards the door, as much to clear the air as anything else.

_"You make me sound like an old man. Not an inaccurate statement by any means, of course."_

She smiled as they left the room. Guess X still knew how to bounce back quickly. She wondered if and when she would learn to do the same.

* * *

_**Area A**_

There was something to be said for the almost hypnotic effect of traveling through nature on a calm day. Area A was a vast and serene forest that stretched north of the city of Cinq Ville as far as the eye can see and filled with creatures, both biological and mechanical, living in harmony with one another. So far from civilization, despite the native creatures' level of activity, the area was pristine and quiet, and when coupled with the clear baby-blue skies and cool breeze, it was the sort of place one would want to take a picnic in.

And for Aile, it would always be the source of one of her greatest memories.

"Not a bad plan at all..." she sighed softly as she slowly walked through the shade, running her hand along the bark of a tree and savoring the roughness under her grip. "Just being here brings back the memories..."

_"Indeed..."_ Model X responded from where he floated next to her at eye level. _"I think I recognize that tree over there. Remember the one that you fired a double charge shot trying to hit a Galleon?"_

Aile laughed sheepishly as she looked away from the fallen and slowly decomposing tree in question, having had its giant trunk blow apart by the dual plasma shots and having crushed the unfortunate maverick mook in question during the fall. "I panicked from the sneak attack and you know it."

_"Yes, yes, so you've always said."_ The Biometal's mirth was still obvious even as he grew a bit more serious. _"Still, to think we haven't encountered a single hostile mechaniloid..."_

Aile kept walking, taking out a water bottle and drinking from it. "Yeah...guess the new non-Slither Inc. security force in Cinq Ville really has cracked down on the rogues, even with Model W acting up."

The truth of the so-called "Hero of Innerpeace's" engineered heroics with Mavericks under his command had lead to a massive scandal that drove the final nail into the coffin of Serpent's once-titanic corporation, a coffin Aile herself had all but carved her initials into when she defeated Serpent and inadvertently blew up the company's head office building upon his defeat. The mega-corp had been divided up in the resulting fallout with its assets taken over by various other companies and the government, the Guardians getting quite a bit for themselves given Serpent's former ties to them. She herself hadn't really interacted with the reorganized defense force's leaders on a personal basis, but Prairie swore up and down they were on the level and not corrupt, and what she had seen of them backed that up.

The Model X Chosen One plopped down under a tree and leaned back against the bark in the shade to relax for a moment, bringing the bottle back up to her lips.

"Still, with our luck, we'll probably run into one or two soon enough-!"

A sudden explosion shook the ground, startling Aile and causing her water to spill onto her jacket. She ignored that, however, her eyes on the rising smoke she could see over the treetops and the flocks of birds flying into the air at the disturbance.

"Crap, I hate it when I'm right!"

_"Well, it was fun while it lasted,"_ Model X chirped before floating up next to her. _"Ready, Aile?"_

Aile nodded as she took him into her grip. "Alright, X, let's do this! Now, Megamerge!"

Model X's eyes and red jewel flashed. _"Biolink established! M.E.G.A. SYSTEM online!"_

Though the transformation took barely a second in real-time, Aile couldn't help but smile as a familiar sense of power and warmth filled her body, her form becoming covered in shimmering azure armor the same color as Model X complete with a helmet with the very same red jewel. She now looked like some sort of battle-ready cyborg, only strengthened by how her right arm morphed into a deadly-looking arm cannon.

_"Ready, Aile?"_

"Always, X. Let's go."

Activating the thrusters in her armor, she began to dash forward at high speeds towards the smoke, jumping over fallen trees and bushes while kicking off particularly high obstacles without losing momentum. Quickly, the sound of gunfire, explosions, and what sounded like a laser blade tearing through metal reached her ears as she neared the site. She skid to a halt just before the area, her cannon humming as she charged a plasma shot, and peered forward to get an idea of what was happening.

To say she was surprised would be an understatement.

In the clearing before her were around half a dozen Galleon Hunters, basic humanoid mechaniloids clad in purple and silver armor with basic buster weapons. In the midst of them and clearly in charge was a Giga Aspis, a large snake mechaniloid with yellow and purple armor and a spiked ball on its tail to act as a flail, considered to be one of the most dangerous beasts in Area A. She would know, having fought one as her first real test as a Mega Man. All of them had their eyes trained on the figure whose back was to her, as if assessing the best way to take it down without being destroyed.

As well they should, considering littering the clearing were the odds and ends of what Aile could only assume were at least another dozen Galleons and another Giga Aspis, either blasted apart or sliced to pieces. The fallen Aspis in particular was smoking badly and still on fire, and Aile could only assume it was the source of the explosion she heard.

But all of that was secondary to just who the mysterious fighter in question was. Clad in red armor similar to her own and holding a green-bladed laser sword in their grip, she knew just from looking it was another Mega Man like her. But it was the shape of the helmet and the long flowing blond hair spilling out from behind that made her breath catch, for she knew exactly who it was and indeed the only person it could be.

"No way..." she muttered. "What are the odds?"

_"No idea, but that doesn't change what we have to do, does it, Aile?"_

She smiled. "You're right about that, X." She aimed her cannon directly for the Aspis, its attention still trained on the other Mega Man. "Let's lend a helping hand."

Two charged shots were unleashed near instantly, the sound of the discharge barely warning the serpentine mechaniloid in time as they smashed into and deformed its face while causing it to jerk back and screech in pain. Both the Galleons and the Mega Man hesitated at the suddenness of the move, allowing Aile time to jump out and unleash several more shots that took out a Galleon, but the other Mega Man recovered first and shot forward with a feminine yell as she sliced through the two closest Galleons at once before her saber turned into a buster and blasted another further back in the face. The remaining Galleons only had time to let off a brief round of shots before Aile finished them with another charge shot, dashing under the futile buster shots with ease.

By that point, the Giga Aspis had recovered and tried to swing its flail at the two, but they easily dodged away from the poor swing. The other Mega Man simply raised her buster and fired a powerful charge shot into its face again, deforming it even more as it tried to flee. Aile didn't give it that chance as she fired another double charge shot, her twin blasts completely destroying its head and causing the beast to collapse in a heap of scrap before it exploded.

"Well...that went well..." she panted, more from the adrenaline than actual tiredness.

"...Aile?"

The Model X Mega Man turned her head towards the voice, recognizing it perfectly along with the face.

After all, it was _her _voice and face. The Mega Man before her might as well have been her identical twin sister, and if they traded armors and hair no one would be able to tell the difference. Identical green eyes stared into each other, one filled with amusement, the other with surprise, but both with a sense of recognition.

"Hello, Grey," she called out to her doppelganger. "Been a while since we've seen each other. Glad to see you're putting my body to good use, at least."

"Grey" blushed, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "H-Hey, don't say it like that...people might get the wrong idea..."

_"I dunno, Grey,"_ another, more chipper voice rang out. _"You do make a habit of using her A-Trans..."_

"That's not...!" she started before she just sighed explosively. With a flash of bright light, Aile's red-armored and blond-haired copy vanished. In "her" place was another Mega Man, this one clad in armor of blue, black and red, and very much a guy. The most noticeable feature of the armor was the pair of red cables that came down from his back like they were meant to be "plugged in" to something. He looked to be only in his mid-teens, though with the tan and the small scar on his cheek he could easily be mistaken for being older.

Of course, given how awkward he was being at the moment, it was very obvious that wasn't in effect at the moment. "Err...hey, Aile. It really has been a while, huh? Not since..."

"Since after the Ouroboros," Aile clarified, still smiling.

"Right. So...how did you...?"

"I was just taking a relaxing walk enjoying the forest and nature when I felt an explosion and saw the smoke cloud. I hurried on over and...well, here we are." She walked forward. "It's good to see you though, Grey. really."

Grey's previous embarrassment faded under her calm and warm attitude, and he flashed her a smile. She had only seen him do it twice before, after he had recovered from his injuries fighting Master Albert, but she had to admit there was something awkwardly cute in how he did it like he wasn't entirely sure if he was getting it right.

"Yeah...it's good to see you too, Aile...and thanks for the save. I guess that makes the third time, huh?"

"No need to keep score, Grey. I'm just helping someone in need." She gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "And more importantly, a friend in need."

_"Hey, what am I, scrap metal?"_ the voice from before echoed out, and with a flash of light Grey de-Megamerged, now with a black-and-white triangular Biometal with a red line across the "face" and a bolt where a jewel would be.

"Hey Model A, nice to see you too," Aile answered. She de-Megamerged as well, allowing Model X to float up to his counterpart.

Model A chuckled a little. _"So, what's up with you guys?"_

_"Busy with work and taking a break,"_ Model X replied. _"Shall we take this conversation on the road?"_

"Sure," Grey answered. "It would be nice to have someone else to talk to. Good to see you also, Model X..." he trailed off, realizing something felt...off. "Hey, where's Model Z? Isn't he usually with you guys?"

Aile stiffened a little, having forgotten she had never informed him of that little detail during their last meeting in Hunter's Camp months ago. She hadn't wanted to ruin the victorious mood of Albert's defeat with bad news he could feel guilty about, and she HAD been hoping she would find the Biometal in question before they met again, but now...

"It's...a long story," she finally said, her mood dripping a little.

Grey's face shifted to concerned. "In that case, I've got the time to listen and help. Anything for a friend, right?"

Aile smiled at the earnestness of the reply. Their first meeting might have been awkward (fighting to the death over a failure to communicate, of all things), but he really did have a good heart.

'Actually, this is a pretty good opportunity to talk to him about that letter...'

"Thanks. Actually, there are several things I want to talk with you about...and maybe something to show you too."

_"Aile..."_

"It's alright, Model X. I think he has a right to see it."

Grey tilted his head curiously. "What is it?"

Aile gestured for him to follow. "Come on, we can talk along the way."

_"Wow, deja vu..."_ Model A muttered, remembering a similar line of dialogue when the two Chosen Ones had fought their way out of a quarry back to Hunter's Camp.

Both Chosen Ones chuckled a little as Grey quickly jogged up to Aile's side and they set off, the Biometals trailing nearby.

* * *

"So, that's what happened to Model Z..." Grey muttered softly, now back in his Megamerged form as he wall-jumped up a cliff face alongside Aile in her own. Everything after fighting the self-proclaimed "god" Master Albert was a blur after he blacked out upon winning. It was a sobering thought to think that he and Model A had only survived because the Biometal in question had chosen to hold the line against the other enemy Mega Men to let Aile and Model X rescue them. "And he's still missing?"

"Yeah..." Aile's voice was equally soft as she vaulted over onto solid ground. "Him and the other Mega Men and Biometals. That's what I meant about how there are still things that need finding. Besides, he told me he'd survive. I'm still holding him to that."

And yet, after all these weeks and months, the doubt was harder to shake off. The Guardians had sent missions to try and search the wreckage of the sunken Ouroboros, but had turned up nothing so far, not even a trace of the missing persons in question. The Guardians were worried, both for what those four youths who had taken Models H, L, F, and P could and would do now that the Game of Destiny was over if they were still alive, as well as the fates of the Biometals the Guardians and especially Aile considered friends, even family.

"I see...I'm sorry, Aile. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know, and I'll be there."

Aile turned to look at him, surprised a little by his resolute tone. "What about your whole 'walking the earth' trip?"

Grey shrugged. "I can still do that while searching for the Biometals and those guys. They could be anywhere in the world, after all." He smiled again. "Besides, I'm just helping a friend in need, right? I think that's worth taking some time out."

Aile smiled back, touched. "...Thanks, Grey. You're still a good kid."

"Hey! What'd I tell you about making fun of me?"

Aile laughed and patted his shoulder. "Sorry. I meant 'good guy.'"

_"Wow, she knows how to push your buttons, Grey,"_ Model A chuckled. _"And you were being so cool too."_

"A-Anyways, what about where we're going?" Grey said to change the conversation. "You still haven't told me about that..."

"I'm getting to that. It's not too far anyhow." She kept walking with Grey by her side. "But first, have you been contacted by Legion recently?"

"Not really," Grey replied. "I haven't been at a transerver for about a week and have just been hoofing it in the wilderness. At least, they haven't sent me any calls or messages I'm aware of...Model A?"

_"I've got nothing."_

"Well, the Guardians recently received an invitation to a celebration at Legion Headquarters to celebrate destroying Model W and stopping Master Albert, and the Hunters have too. And they want us to be the guests of honor."

Grey's eyes widened. "Guests of honor...me too?"

Aile smirked. "Well, you ARE the one who defeated Albert, after all. You're a national hero."

_"Hey, I'm down with that!"_ Model A chirped eagerly. _"It's nice to be appreciated...and if there's money involved, we could use that too for food and travel."_

_"I'm not sure if they'll give us a monetary reward after the original bounty for the Ouroboros."_ Model X noted dryly. _"More likely a ceremonial trophy. Don't tell me you already ran through your share."_

_"Hey, it's always nice to have more to lighten the struggle of the journey!"_

"I just did what I had to do," Grey muttered. "But as long as the others are getting recognized too, I guess I wouldn't mind going..."

"That didn't take very long," Aile noted with a bit of an envious chuckle. "I wish I could be that decisive."

"Huh?" Grey was confused now. "Aren't you going?"

"Well...usually I would, but there's something special about the day of the celebration for me." She turned her head towards another sheer hill face in front of them. "Almost there."

They started to wall-jump up the hill, Aile still talking.

"The date they chose for the party is the anniversary of the fall of Slither Inc., which was where the first Model W was destroyed and Cinq Ville was saved. Doomsday was averted four years earlier. It's meant to send a message, but I have a tradition on that day."

They both reached the stop and hoisted themselves over, Grey taking a moment to take in the sight in front of him. It was a clear area with only grass and wildflowers growing and a single ancient oak tree in the center...but his eyes were particularly drawn to the large flat slab of stone that was facing them in front of said tree, with wording that looked like it was carved with a beam saber.

_Girouette_

_2405-2432_

_Beloved friend and foster father_

_Missed, but never forgotten_

"I told you before that Model Z was a memento from somebody very dear to me, didn't I?" Aile walked forward and knelt down in front of the monument. "Grey, I want you to meet Giro. This is the man who taught me so many life lessons that I've tried hard to follow even now. Remember when I told you that only you can decide your destiny, no matter what anyone else says you are? That was the last lesson he ever told me."

Grey didn't have much experience with "family", considering his father had made him only as a back-up plan and tried to kill him, while his "siblings" had also used and tried to kill him (even if he regretted what ultimately happened to them in particular). But he could recognize that this Giro was someone Aile held close to her heart even now...and that she had trusted him enough to bring him here...

"Aile..." Slowly, Grey walked forward and knelt down in front of it as well. "I...why are you showing me this?"

"I...I guess I wanted to show you, as a friend." She looked back at it. "He died saving my life, and I swore I would avenge him by stopping Model W, and by continuing the fight to protect the world. When I won that fight, I made a tradition of always coming here on the anniversary of the fight just to relax and think. And now I'm the mentor figure to you. I guess it was just fitting."

"...Thank you, Aile." He reached out a hand and put it on hers, smiling at her surprised expression. "This means a lot, trusting me with something this personal..."

Again, that smile managed to tug at something within Aile. It certainly didn't hurt that Grey was rather cute when smiling like that...wait a minute...

_"Aile, I can hear your heart rate spiking,"_ Model X told the girl mentally, a knowing tone infecting his words. _"Try not to go into a panic attack."_

It took everything Aile had to not jerk her hand away, though she couldn't stop the blush on her face. "I-It's nothing..."

_"Smooth moves, partner..."_ Model A muttered in the reploid's head. Grey wasn't sure what he was getting at. He was just trying to convey a deeper sense of gratitude. Worried he might have overstepped his boundaries, he pulled his hand back.

"Sorry if that's embarrassing..."

"N-No, you didn't!" Gods above, if Giro was watching her from wherever he was right now, she probably would die of embarrassment...and then kick his ass before hugging the unlife out of him. "I just...I'm flattered you think that way."

A part of Grey was still confused, but another part of him couldn't deny he actually liked the flustered side of Aile he was seeing. It was...adorable. Of course, his instincts told him there was risk in provoking it further, so he decided to turn the conversation away again.

"So...I guess you don't want to miss the next anniversary by going to the celebration?"

"R-Right," she affirmed, taking the chance to change the subject. "But...a part of me does want to go because of what it represents, and I know Giro would probably say something about wanting me to have fun with my friends instead of moping about all alone with just Model X for company. But I guess I'm a stubborn girl set in her traditions."

"Huh...any way I can help?"

"You have any ideas?"

"Well..." he blushed a little. "I could A-Trans into you..."

Aile couldn't help the laugh that escaped her, the mental image of Grey being at the party in some tux and constantly A-Transing into her, full ZX armor and everything, and back while ducking out of sight of party guests. "I appreciate it, Grey, but I'm pretty sure you'd run yourself and Model A ragged in the process."

"Right, sorry..."

"It's alright." They sat there in silence for awhile longer.

_"Maybe you could come here in the morning, then leave later for the party?" _Model A offered. _"Or heck, leave it earlier to come here."_

_"Either one could work,"_ Model X surmised. _"Quite agreeable, actually."_

"I suppose..." Aile conceded. Hard to believe it could really be that simple, but sometimes it was the simple solutions that proved most evasive. She looked over at Grey. "So, if you're going, what are you planning on wearing?"

"Huh?" Grey was a little confused. "I was just thinking of going like I am or Megamerged. What else would I wear?"

Aile chuckled. "I guess you'll need a bit of education on the art of dressing for fancy celebrations..."

"Uh...do you mind helping me then...?"

"I can make time for that." Aile slowly leaned back until she was facing the sky and watching the clouds with her arms behind her head, Model X deMegamerging so he could lay similarly next to her head. "But for now, mind just relaxing here with me? Consider it thanks for being willing to talk with me like this."

Grey smiled as Model A deMegamerged and the two followed suit. "Sure. I've got time, and I like hanging out like this. It's peaceful and quiet. It's what we fought for, right?"

Aile smiled herself. "You've got that right, Grey. Right on the E-crystals..."

There was silence for a while longer...

"...Hey, Aile?"

"Yeah, Grey?"

"Do you mind telling me more about Girouette? I guess I'm just curious since I don't know much about 'real dads' myself..."

"...No problem at all, Grey, but why don't we save that for the actual anniversary? I'll give you something to look forward to."

"The suspense is killing me..." Grey half-snarked, prompting Aile and the Biometals to chuckle as the clouds and sun passed overhead.

_"This turned out better than I thought it would..."_ Model X mused to himself, his thoughts hidden from his Chosen. _"Maybe this is just what Aile needs to do this..."_

* * *

_**Three Days Later, Cinq Ville**_

"I can't do this, X..." Aile muttered as she looked at the dresses in front of her, hands jammed into the blue jacket.

_"What a twist..."_ Model X mused. _"To think years ago it was Prairie who said the same thing when you dragged her out of the ship and got her that beautiful green dress..."_

"Entirely different, and you know it," Aile grumbled, still internally glad the Guardian commander wasn't here to engage in some teasing of her own. After her encounter with Grey days ago, she had escorted him to Cinq Ville and got him a hotel room, telling him not to worry about the bill since she'd take care of it (as long as he and Model A didn't go overboard in hotel expenses). She had returned the Guardian Base afterwards and informed Prairie of their meeting and her decision to attend the celebration at Legion alongside Grey.

_"What a stroke of luck," Prairie had said upon hearing everything. "It's like the universe decided to help you along."_

_"Sure, let's go with that." Aile had replied. "Anyways, I'm gonna help him find some nice to wear to the party. Can't have a guest of honor showing up in his civvies, right?"_

_"True...and as for your 'civvies'? Last I recall, you're rather lacking in any sort of formal wear for this sort of fancy occasion."_

_"...Dang it, Prairie..."_

And so here she was, after three days of more peacekeeping and missions with the Guardians, looking over dresses in Cinq Ville's finest clothing store. She had brought Grey along, but he was currently in a changing room testing out several suits the employees and she had picked out after they got his size measured down. He had been surprisingly reluctant to take off his harness and cables, but there was no other way he would be able to get that tuxedo on.

"I just wish these dresses weren't so...revealing or frilly..." Aile muttered looking at a purple dress with an open back, then leaning forward to look at the price tag while grimacing at the 4-digit figures. "And expensive..."

_"You could just wear a suit like Grey," _X noted._ "You could certainly make it work."_

"Yeah..." That was definitely her Plan B, all things considered. "But a dress would be more fitting for this event..."

"Excuse me, ma'am, but is everything alright?"

Aile turned to see a blond middle-aged clerk in a pink uniform looking at her curiously, with the name tag that said "Erica". Considering Model X wasn't out, it probably looked to her like Aile was talking to herself.

"I'm fine, thank you, just not finding something that screams 'Me.'"

"I see...do you have any preferences?"

Aile thought for a moment. "Well...I'm not really into lots of frills or something really revealing...though I guess a bit of skin wouldn't hurt. Color-wise...I like blue or red the most, with some black mixed in. Most importantly, something that won't break the bank."

Granted, with her savings she could afford the most expensive dress here along with whatever Grey chose and not be inconvenienced, but she wasn't one to splurge on items like this.

"Hmm...I think we might have something. Follow me."

Aile followed Erica to another line of dresses, then waited as she searched through them before pulling out a dress that was hidden from her view.

"How about this one?" she asked as she turned and presented it to Aile.

* * *

Inside the men's changing room, Grey fumbled with the black tie of his suit in the mirror.

"I think you could choke someone with this thing..." he grumbled, grateful one of the employees had helpfully tied one in front of him to show him how it was done.

_"Come on, Grey! I think you look snazzy!"_ Model A chirped helpfully, having manifested in the privacy of the room to provide moral support. _"You'll definitely turn some heads at this party!"_

"I dunno...you think?"

He finally managed to adjust the tie so that it looked straight and wasn't choking him. With a sigh, he finally looked himself over. He was wearing a black pinstripe suit with a red dress shirt, black tie, and matching black shoes. His normal clothes were all in a bundle nearby along with his cable harness. He had to admit, the suit actually did feel pretty good to wear, and it didn't look too bad. Really, he was just more surprised he was actually wearing something this fancy.

_"Yeah, I know so!"_ Model A beamed. _"Just give yourself a comb-over, and you're all set for the high life!"_

"Well...as long as Aile thinks it looks good too, I'll take it."

_"What, my opinion doesn't matter? I'm hurt!"_

"Hey, I never said that, Model A!" Grey protested, even though a part of him really did want Aile's approval of the look. "And besides, Aile's paying for it, so she has the final say anyways."

_"Yeah, yeah..."_ Model A muttered. _"Still, it's kinda funny we're actually doing this..."_

"Yeah..." Grey admitted. "The past few days have been interesting ones..."

That was an understatement. Since meeting Aile in the forest and being told so much, things just seemed to blur a bit. That hotel in the city Aile had paid for them alone was fancier than any place he and Model A had stayed since starting their journey (and most of the time, they camped out under the stars). While Model A had been pretty eager to try out some of the fancier things in the place like the gameroom, Grey had intentionally limited himself to avoiding anything other than the essentials to avoid racking up too much of a bill for Aile and only allowed for such excesses in moderation.

Though he did admit he did take his time enjoying the hot showers and toiletries, and may have packed away a lot of the latter in preparation for eventually leaving. Hey, according to the staff they restocked daily without any extra charges. It would be a shame to just waste them.

And now here he was, getting suited up for a celebration at Legion with himself as a guest of honor. He would be lying to state he wasn't worried, if less about embarrassing himself than accidentally causing a scene that would reflect badly on the other Hunters or even the Guardians. They didn't deserve that after everything they had been through.

_"Hey, don't let it get to you, Grey,"_ Model A encouraged. _"The party's still days away. We've got time to prepare."_

"Right..." Grey sighed as he adjusted his collar. "Should I go out and show Aile, or get dressed again?"

_"I say show her. You'll make the best impression this way, right?"_

"Right."

The reploid quickly left the room, locking the door with the special key the employees gave him to make sure no one could steal his stuff while the Biometal hid in his suit, and quickly walked out back into the store.

"Now, where is she...?"

_"Maybe she got a dress already?"_

"Maybe..." Noticing a clerk waiting in front of the women's changing room, he quickly walked over. "Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Yes?" The clerk asked, her tag reading "Erica," "Is there something I can help you with, young man?"

"I'm looking for a female friend of mine," Grey replied. "Brown hair, ponytail, wearing blue?"

Erica nodded and gestured to the changing room. "She's inside, trying out a dress." She looked over the suit he was wearing with a kind smile. "That suit suits you well. Going to a party?"

"Yeah..." Grey replied, scratching his head at the compliment. "It's my first time wearing one of these. I just hope she likes it too."

"I'm certain she will. And I believe you'll like the dress she's trying out too." She giggled. "Pardon me for saying, but I think you'll both be the cutest couple there."

"C-Couple-?!" Grey couldn't stop the blush breaking out on his face. "W-We're-!"

The teen was spared further incrimination by the sound of the women's door opening, Aile stepping out with a blue and black dress on a hanger and in her normal wear. Grey couldn't get a good look at the dress since she was already stuffing it into a bag.

"Hey, Grey," she said, looking up from what over his apparel with a critical eye before smiling and reaching forward to tug at the collar a little. "You look great. I like it. You getting it?"

"T-Thanks..." Grey stuttered with a still-present blush, thankful she didn't seem to be aware of the previous conversation. "And yeah, I definitely am."

"Alright then," Aile nodded before looking at Erica and holding up the bag. "I'll take this and the suit."

"Wonderful! If that's all, we just need for your 'friend'," she put emphasis on the word that Aile didn't seem to pick up on, "to get redressed and we can purchase them both."

"I'll go do that..." Grey muttered as he about-faced and went back to his changing room.

_"Wish you got to see Aile in the dress?"_ Model A's voice piped up in his head.

It took all of Grey's inner strength to not stop and yell out loud, though that didn't stop his heated whisper. "Model A!"

_"What? She got to see you in your fancy doodahs. Fair's fair, right?"_

"Well...yeah..." he sighed. "They'll be time before the party, I'm sure."

He quickly got inside and redressed, and within minutes both he and Aile were walking outside again with their purchases in bags. Grey noted that she seemed oddly distracted by something, but before he could bring himself to ask she finally shook her head and looked at him.

"Well, that went better than I expected," Aile noted cheerfully, if a little forced. "So Grey, anywhere you want to go later?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, I'm gonna drop this dress off back at Guardian Base with a transerver, but I'm free this afternoon and you haven't really seen the sights of Cinq Ville. Want me to show you around?"

Grey briefly considered saying no, not wanting to infringe on her personal time and worried that she was just doing it for his sake rather than really wanting to, but he didn't really have anything better to do aside from stay at the hotel. It was true he hadn't done much exploring of the city over the past three days since coming here too.

"Yeah..I'd like that, as long as it's not a bother."

Aile laughed, and this time it seemed more genuine. "Trust me, Grey, with you, it's not a bother."

Grey smiled back, with Aile still laughing before she turned her head away and covered her mouth to cover her elbow to cough.

_"Pardon me for saying, but I think you'll both be the cutest couple there."_

That recent memory caused him to look away and blush again, thankful that Aile wasn't looking at him. He didn't know too much about romance himself, but he saw several "sweethearts" amongst the Hunters and even heard a few stories about love from various Hunters, including his friend Billy.

_"If you're wondering what it feels like, think about the last time you were in the fight of your life, your heart pumping like a jackhammer from terror and the adrenaline slamming through you from nervousness, like one wrong move means the end of everything. That's basically how it feels when you're talking with your crush...just worse, but also...better, like a warm feeling of giddiness you don't wanna let go of? I dunno how to put it in words, man. You'll know when you feel it for yourself."_

'Is this what he meant...?' Grey wondered, feeling the pounding in his heart and the warm feeling through his body. 'It's...not so bad, I guess...'

* * *

**Well, that went longer than I expected. This would have been a one-shot, but it got long enough I divided it into three chapters.**

**And hey, it's certainly a step up from my first attempt at a Mega Man one-shot (even if I won't regret that story). Hopefully, I'll keep you all entertained and interested 'til the end!**

**Review, favorite, and follow if you like. Tell me your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

**And part two of what would have been a single one-shot. Hopefully I can do actual romance justice.**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

* * *

_**Guardian Base**_

As soon as Aile had teleported back to the ship, she had made a beeline to her room, barely keeping herself from breaking into a run and forcing herself to calmly say hello to her comrades as she went. Once she was inside and the door locked, however, she immediately dropped onto her bed and buried her face into her hands.

"What is _wrong_ with me?!" Aile shouted, thankful her room was sound-proof for privacy's sake. The dress she had bought was still in its bag at the foot of her bed, but putting it up or having it cleaned was far from her mind at the moment.

_"Personally, I don't believe anything is wrong with you,"_ Model X said simply, the Biometal floating in the air and watching her._ "But if I'm going to play personal psychiatrist, I'm going to need to know what _you _think is wrong."_

Aile turned her head to glare at him. "Don't joke around right now, X."

_"I'm not. I honestly don't see what's working you up so much. The way I see it, you had quite the enjoyable morning with Grey and soon enough will have an interesting afternoon together. What is there worth being so worried about?"_

Aile rolled over so her back was on her bed, sighing. "Well..."

_Aile watched Grey head back to the men's changing room, noting to herself he really did wear it well. Now, if he could just move with some more confidence..._

_"He's quite adorable, isn't he?"_

_Aile blinked and looked back at Erica, the older woman turning to look at her before tilting her head in Grey's direction._

_"Yeah..." Aile admitted. "It's his first time dressing up fancy. Makes sense he would be a little awkward."_

_"He told me as much when he came over here." She gestured to her bag. "It's almost a shame you didn't come out wearing that dress. You likely would have to pick his jaw off the floor."_

_Aile blushed at that. "W-Well...they'll be time for that later..."_

_Erica giggled. "You two really do make a cute pair..."_

_"Cute pair...w-wait, I think you're jumping to conclusions! We're not like that!" Aile had the presence of mind to keep her voice down to not attract attention, especially not Grey's even if he had already gone back inside. "I'm just his friend..." Strangely, she felt the need to elaborate. "Probably one of his closest and ONLY friends, but..."_

_"Oh...pardon me," Erica realized before bowing her head. "I shouldn't have assumed. He just seemed so eager to show you how he looked."_

_"It's fine," Aile assured her, then laughed a little. "I probably would have took it worse if you said I was like his mom or something..." Still, she took notice of that last comment. "He really was, though?"_

_"I think he was planning on throwing it away if you said you didn't like it," Erica answered. "He really seems to trust you."_

_Aile sighed. "Well...he's gone through some serious times. Even our first meeting wasn't under ideal conditions, but we managed to work past that. I guess he just values our friendship..."_

_After all, she had met and fought his "siblings" personally several times, to say nothing of what she knew about his "father." Grey was lucky that he escaped if only by sheer luck the fate originally intended of him._

_"I think he might value it and you more than you know," Erica replied softly. "And I think you value what he thinks of you more than you think too." She giggled as Aile's face reddened again. "But really, what does a stranger on the outside know, right? I'm sure you'll prove or disprove that yourselves. Shall we?"_

_Aile looked over and saw that Grey was exiting the room in his regular clothes and putting the suit back in its hanger. Aile made sure not to look directly at Grey as she paid for the clothes (wincing a little at that price tag, but reminding herself it was for a good cause and she could take the hit) and they left the store. Finally, the regained the will to talk to him after noticing he seemed to be watching her with growing concern._

_"Well, that went better than I expected," Aile began, cringing a little internally at the forced cheer she was putting out. "So Grey, anywhere you want to go later?"_

_Grey seemed surprised by her sudden statement "Huh?"_

_Aile was almost as surprised and mentally cursed her mouth saying the first thing that came to mind. "I mean, I'm gonna drop this dress off back at Guardian Base with a transerver, but I'm free this afternoon and you haven't really seen the sights of Cinq Ville." Being free was true, as Prairie hadn't received any missions that required her assistance and she would have been called otherwise. "Want me to show you around?"_

_Grey looked conflicted about it, but nodded. __"Yeah..I'd like that, as long as it's not a bother."_

_'Sheesh, there you go being so selfless again...' Aile thought, remembering their little trip and talk in the forest days ago. Despite herself, she laughed a little, genuinely touched by his concern. "Trust me, Grey, with you, it's not a bother."_

_Grey smiled back assured, and Aile despite herself remembered Erica's comments about them being a couple, causing her to turn her head away and fake a cough with her elbow over her mouth to hide her blush as she kept laughing._

_'Stop that,' she chided herself mentally. 'I'm overreacting now...'_

_Model X, meanwhile, remained uncharacteristically silent even as the two Chosen Ones parted ways and Aile made it to the transerver._

"...Speaking of which, why weren't you providing moral support back there?" Aile grilled the Biometal in question with a half-glare.

_"My apologies, Aile, I was simply observing your actions and words as well as Grey's own at the time."_ Model X answered. _"And honestly, though my personal experience is hardly what one would call expert, I understand Ms. Erica's observations of you two being a budding couple and see why she came to such a conclusion."_

"I'm not-"

_"Aile, I've been observing you over the past few days interact with Grey along with this one, and I've seen how you act with others for years. The amount of hesitation and blushing you've done in relation to him and his actions is far greater than any interaction you've had with your fellow Guardians, male or female, reploid or human. Don't try and pull one over on this old Biometal and say you feel_ nothing _for him. There is no shame in admitting that."_

Aile frowned, but faced with such blunt words, she couldn't deny them. "...Alright, so what? Maybe I do feel...something for the guy."

_"Then what is your issue?"_

"How about the fact he's younger than me?"

_"By perhaps four years, give or take one. Not an insurmountable difference by any means...and considering that Commander Prairie harbored feelings for Giro, hardly the most noticeable age gap your comrades are aware of."_

"What about the fact that I've only interacted with him for collectively-timed a few days? Going a little fast, don't you think?"

_"Relationships are what take time to build, Aile. Feelings can be generated easily with the right words, personal revelations, and situations."_

Aile looked away. "Well...I just don't want to take advantage of him, okay? He doesn't deserve that, not after all he's gone through."

_"You're right, he doesn't. But that won't happen if you're open and honest to him. Grey is a capable young man."_ Model X floated closer to her. _"I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt him. And I believe he trusts you enough not to either, and he would tell you and put his foot down if you accidentally did. He's stubborn like you in that way."_

Aile snorted at his little ribbing. "But that all depends on what he thinks. How am I supposed to talk about this?"

_"Personally, I think the upcoming celebration would be a more 'dramatic' place for such a revelation, but for both your sakes, why not this upcoming afternoon tour? You both could use the chance to just fully unwind, no sad backstories, no dramatic truth to reveal, just two friends having fun and relaxing together. And at the end, perhaps by a certain fountain popular with couples with a sunset..."_

"You sure you're not a romantic at heart?" Aile asked as she peered over at him with a raised eyebrow.

_"I've had a few centuries of free time to put my thoughts to more fanciful pursuits."_

'I wish Model Z was here to knock you in the head...' she thought as she shook her head. Oddly, the thought up of their still-missing friend didn't damper her mood as much as it should have, not since discussing it with Grey...

'It really warps back around to Grey, huh?' she mused softly, then she shook her head. "Fine. Besides, this is the sort of thing I need to tackle head-on anyways."

_"A straight-forward offense," _Model X noted. _"Model F would be proud."_

"You're coming along so I can smack you around if things go pear-shaped though."

_"I'm ready to reap what I sow."_

* * *

_**That Afternoon, Cinq Ville**_

"Can I really do this, Model A?" Grey muttered as he sat in the hotel lobby, waiting for Aile after getting a call a few minutes earlier that she was back in town and heading over. He was currently reading a comic book about a young white-haired male reploid adopted into a family of eleven other female humans and reploids and their wacky misadventures together, but his nerves made fully enjoying the admittedly-funny work hard.

_"I don't see why not. You just gotta tackle this like you've gone up against every problem we've fought before!"_ Model A told him encouragingly in his mind. _"Besides, Aile's not gonna suddenly think you're a little creep or something. She's too smart for that."_

"Yeah, you're right...just nerves, I guess..." Grey sighed. "I just...I don't want to make her uncomfortable. She's important to me, you know..."

That went without saying. Aile was in many ways his teacher, even almost like a real big sister. She had helped him despite barely knowing him once they cleared up misunderstandings about their respective alignments in the war against Model W. She was the one who taught him only he could decide his destiny, no matter what anyone else said. Those words had given him the strength to defy Master Albert and reject the destiny the mad scientist had planned for him and the world. She had even saved his life several times.

As such, he valued what she thought of him...and was worried that whatever these new strange thoughts he was having about her would cause those opinions to change for the worse. He had heard enough Hunters bemoaning breakups to know the risks.

_"Just relax and be you, Grey, and you'll be fine like always,"_ Model A assured him. _"Besides, you've got the #1 wingman in your corner for moral support! You can't go wrong!"_

"Thanks, Model A..." he replied honestly if with a bit of eye-rolling, glancing up at the sound of the hotel door opening to see Aile there wearing her blue jacket and smiling at him. The sight brought a bit of a nervous smile to his own face along with butterflies in his stomach, but he steeled himself and walked over while putting the comic up.

"Hey, Grey," Aile greeted him. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Where to first?"

Aile just smiled as she took his hand. "I think we got a good enough look at shops earlier, so why don't we start with just the residential area, huh?"

"S-Sure..." Was it just his own embarrassed imagination, or was there a bit of pink on Aile's cheeks too? Grey didn't have much time to dwell on it as Aile led the way outside, keeping a firm grip on his hand but not enough to be uncomfortable, nor did she drag him along without consent.

The trip was certainly eventful as far as Grey was concerned though. Cinq Ville was similar in many ways to Legion when he made a few trips there, but there was less of a sense of tension or formalness in the air, likely due to the fact it wasn't the capital of the world government. He saw a lot of kids (human and reploid) happily playing in the streets while the adults looked on as Aile showed him the residential district with its sprawling apartments and rarer but still numerous houses, and there were fewer soldiers or security robots prowling than than he expected, with Aile explaining that the new peacekeeping force was mainly focused on the borders of the town but still kept a sizeable amount at the ready to be deployed if danger struck, plus there was a small Guardian contingent on standby. Shops were next, with them simply doing a bit of window shopping instead of actually buying anything after their trip in the morning, though Grey had to keep Model A from going into one particular music store that was blaring loud rock music.

Things got really amusing when Aile showed them her favorite arcade area and they got to playing a few of the games on offer. The soccer ball game "Dribble Trouble" ended in Grey's utter domination, with Aile's superior experience and height advantage allowing her to easily navigate the complicated obstacle course while dribbling with her feet and head while he was stuck fumbling at the halfway mark trying to get it over a sheer cliff face. The "Mega Crusher" game was comparatively much easier, with the objective being to punch a bouncing ball at targets and avoid getting hit by the ricocheting ball in the process. Grey managed to pick it up easier thanks to it being not so dissimilar from using Model F's Knuckle Buster cannons to smash certain spherical Mavericks that ricocheted off walls and dodging them before they exploded, and he was able to keep up with Aile in that respect, though still losing in the end.

However, it was the final game "Energy Converter" that saw the tables turn. The puzzle game involved players having to match the same colored jewels and black blocks to each other while said blocks were falling from the top of the screen, and it was identical to the portable game "Gem Buster" Grey's Hunter comrade Julian had lent him and played several matches with. Granted, Grey had lost every one of those matches, but he had learned and improved and Aile, while good, wasn't nearly on said Hunter's level, allowing him to surprise her and take more wins than losses.

"Never was good at that game," Aile chuckled as they finally stopped playing and left the arcade. "I could barely figure out how to work it the first time I played."

_"I hope you're not trying to downplay how Grey won that competition fair and square,"_ Model X chided, his voice only audible to the two Chosen Ones while he remained hidden to avoid frightening any of the citizens around them.

_"Nice one, Grey!"_ Model A cheered, but following a similar procedure to his counterpart. _"One out of three ain't bad!"_

"Yeah, yeah...but it was still all fun." Grey admitted, looking up and blinking at the fact the sun was starting to set. "Wow, time flies..."

"Oh wow, you're right..." Aile muttered as she checked her watch. "Well...guess it's about time for dinner. Wanna eat out?"

"Sure. Where to?"

Aile led him to a small burger joint in town and ordered them both burgers, fries and water. According to her, she used to come here with Giro after they were done with transporting goods to clients in town.

"Transporting?" Grey questioned.

"Yeah, Giro owned his own transporting company called Giro Express, though it's technically connected to the Guardians and they keep running it even now. I worked there...well, I still do work there in my free time. You could say I've got seniority. I can show you sometime."

"I'd like that," Grey agreed. They ate for a bit longer in peace before he spoke again. "Thanks for today, Aile. It's been fun."

"My pleasure, Grey...but there's one more place I wanna show you. It's a bit...different than what I've showed you already, but I think you might like it." Aile seemed a little nervous as she spoke, something Grey picked up on.

"Are you alright, Aile? If you don't want to-"

"No, I want to show you, Grey," Aile assured him. "I just...I guess I'm just worried if I'm wrong about you liking it."

"If you think wherever it is is nice, I trust you." Grey assured her back.

Aile just smiled back in thanks, which warmed Grey's heart at the sight and once more caused a slight fluttering in his chest. They finished their meal and Aile led the way once more, guiding Grey deeper into the city as the sun slowly set in the distance and bathed the sky and city in deeper shades of red, orange and gold. Finally, the pair came to a stop in the middle of what Grey assumed was a park, which had a giant fountain majestically spraying water into the air that, when caught in the rays of the setting sun, created beautiful patterns of light that glimmered in the air. Several benches big enough for 2-3 people were set up around it, some occupied.

"I had to wait until around this time to show you this," Aile admitted, leading Grey to one of the benches farther away from the others as they sat down and continued to watch the fountain. "It's nice to look at during the day too, but it's at sunrise and sunset where you get something really magical."

"It really is..." Grey muttered softly. "It's beautiful. What made you so worried about me not liking it?"

"Well..." Aile looked like she was about to trail off, but continued. "This place at this time of day has a bit of a reputation with families and...couples..."

Grey blinked and looked at the other visitors on benches. Sure enough, several pairs (human-human, reploid-reploid, human-reploid, male-female, female-female, male-male, etc.) were quite close to each other, leaning up against one another as they watched the fountain, read books or played handheld games, or were just relaxing in each other's presence.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable if people saw us and came to conclusions you didn't like." Aile offered softly while not looking at him directly, a light blush on her cheeks.

"It's...fine..." Grey answered, a blush on his own features as realization hit him.

And yet...was there an opportunity here...?

"Hey, Aile...?" he began slowly. "Do you know what it feels like...when you...love someone? I mean...something...deeper than a friend?"

Aile looked at him, her blush still evident, but there was something in her gaze. "That's...well, if I'm being serious...I've felt something like that towards two people in my life. The first was Giro...like I told you before, he saved me after the Maverick attack that took my mother from me when I was just a kid, raised me despite all the problems and hell I raised, and always looked out for me. It was partially because he was told to by the Guardians' leader, but it was real to me and I know it was real to him too."

She looked back at the fountain. "He actually brought me here when I was a kid just to wow me with how pretty the fountain was. He could piss me off easily, but he always knew how to make me smile. He was my big brother in all but name and blood. When I lost him, it was like my heart was being torn apart all over again. I think...if things had been different, if he was still here...I might have asked if he felt the same way...and if he said yes, them maybe something could have started between us." She shook her head. "But I know he didn't feel that way...and I'm okay with that. Because he would always be there for me regardless."

Grey was quiet as he listened to her, any sense of jealousy he might have felt was washed away by the raw emotion in her voice. Once more, he was struck by the desire to learn more about Giro, but there was another matter that needed to be addressed too.

"I'm sure he would, Aile," Grey assured her, patting her shoulder softly in a friendly manner. "So...what about the second person?"

Aile kept looking at the fountain, smiling now. "In some ways, he's like Giro. He's got that same sense of justice and desire to protect people despite barely knowing them personally or even if they're enemies, and he wants to fight for peace so others don't have to be afraid for themselves or their loved ones. He's a bit more immature and rude, but that's to be expected when you're younger and haven't fully picked up on polite mannerisms. And it never overshadows the good heart he has underneath it all. Guess I've just got a weakness for guys like that."

_"Hmm...who could it be~?"_ Model A amusedly queried to Grey mentally, which prompted only a light blush from the reploid in question.

Aile looked back at him, a certain look in her green eyes he couldn't quite identify. "Why so curious? You have someone you feel that way about?"

"I..." Grey began before steeling himself and looking right back. "Yeah, I do, at least that's what I'd like to think. We didn't get off on the right foot, but she's taught me a lot I've taken to heart, about how my past doesn't matter as long as I'm willing to fight for my present and always strive for a better future. Without her...I don't think I ever would have been able to stand up to Albert knowing the truth about who I was supposed to be."

Aile's face was growing redder and redder, both of them knowing exactly who he was talking about. "Grey...are you saying...?"

Grey could feel his own face burning up, but he kept looking into Aile's eyes. "Aile..._you_ taught me I'm the master of my own destiny and I can choose my own path. I can never thank you enough for that. That's why I...I want to say I think..." Why was it so hard to get the words out? It was like his heart was pounding in his ears and all he could focus on was how beautiful her eyes looked in the fading sunlight. "I...I...!"

Suddenly, Aile leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her in a hug and planting his face against her jacket. Despite the surprise of the move, he couldn't help but notice it both felt and smelled nice.

"I know what you're trying to say..." she muttered softly to his ear, one hand resting on his back while the other was on his hair. She made no suggestive movements, no attempt to feel his body in a way that might have caused both embarrassment and likely arousal, just holding him close to her. "And you don't have to say it out loud yet if you're not ready...but I feel the same way too..."

Slowly, Grey brought his own arms up and wrapped them around Aile in a similar manner. Though both felt embarrassment, it also felt _right_, and neither wanted to pull away and ruin the moment.

"So...what do we...?"

"I don't want to rush things," Aile quickly told him. "There's a chance things might not work out...and I might hurt you..."

"I think I'm the one who should be scared of hurting you...you have seen what I can A-Trans into, right?" Grey replied, trying to bring just a little bit of humor into this situation. Thankfully, Aile actually did laugh a little, if only to release pent-up tension.

"Let's just see how this goes and take it one day at a time, alright?"

"Sounds good to me..." Grey shifted so that he was looking back up at her face again. "So...I guess this was our first 'date'?"

"I-If you want to call it that, then yeah..." Aile stuttered, prompting a chuckle from Grey. "Hey, don't make fun of me!"

_"Turnabout's fair play, you know, Aile."_ Model X noted with some amusement, though there was also an undercurrent of relief in his tone that things ended well between the two.

"Sorry, sorry," Grey chuckled again. He then reluctantly shifted so that they were now side-by-side once more, but he then took Aile's hand nearest to him with his own and just held it.

"Grey?"

"W-Well...I saw a few Hunters who were together like this back at the camp, and it's not very...extreme, so I just figured..."

Aile giggled now as she closed her fingers around his hand in a firm but not too tight grip, smirking at his blush. "In that case, this is how you do it."

_"Well, this has been a fun day..."_ Model A mused. _"I told you you've got the charm, Grey!"_

"Model A!" Grey shouted, followed by Aile's laughter. As the pair settled down again to enjoy the last of the sunset; though, both found themselves casting glances at the other's face shining in the fading light and figuring that the Biometal had a point. Today had been a good one.

* * *

_**Four Days Later, Cinq Ville Hotel**_

"...And that's what happened, Billy," Grey finished, a phone to his ear and his throat feeling parched from how much he had been talking. He had been wandering around his hotel room the entire call, too animated to just sit down calmly.

And why would he be able to? After all, today was the promised day of the celebration at Legion. On his bed was his clean suit, just waiting to be put on, and in a few hours he would taking a transerver back to Hunter's Camp to meet up with his comrades before they all went to Legion. He had just decided to call them about thirty minutes ago to let them know he was coming back later, and who would end up answering but his first real friend amongst the Hunters, all too eager to know what he had been up to since leaving to travel the world?

"...Dang, Grey, that's impressive," the gruff voice of his Hunter friend came through the other end, having just received an abridged version of Grey's surprising luck at budding romance. "If I didn't know you personally, I'd swear you were exaggerating, but that was never your style. Congrats on whatever you two have going on."

"W-Well...it's still not really...'official', I guess? Like I said, we're just trying to take this slow."

"I know, I know, but hey, are you gonna just tell me the last four days have been boring after that little romantic sunset by a fountain?"

Grey thought about that, considering the time he and Aile had spent together. They just did small things, like walking around together, maybe holding hands. No kissing though, as both of them seemed to silently view that as "next level" they weren't quite ready to cross. On the more exciting front, Grey did help Aile on a Guardian mission to deal with some Maverick activity, the two Mega Men easily tearing through the rogue robots like tissue paper. The most memorable moment was when Aile blow a hole through a large draconic Mechaniloid's face with a double charge shot before Grey turned into Bifrost and used the giant crocodile's ice teeth to tear what was left of its head and neck off.

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "I don't really have much of a reference, but we've had fun, so I guess things are going well."

"Not bad at all, buddy," Billy told him. "You're really coming into your own. We'll all be waiting for you to show up at the camp so we can hear all about it personally on the trip to Legion."

"Looking forward to it, Billy. Just wanted to send a heads up."

"Yeah yeah...but before I go, I gotta know. Your date meeting up with us at the camp, or we gonna have to wait to see her at the party?"

Grey blushed a little at his friend calling Aile his "date", even if he knew it wasn't really wrong. "S-She's going with the Guardians, so it'll be at Legion."

"Huh, well, alright...you know what she's wearing?"

"I-I haven't...that's not-!"

Billy laughed over the phone. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Though from the sound of it you haven't gotten a good look at it. I guess she'll get the chance to sweep you off your feet."

"Hanging up now, Billy..." Grey grumbled.

"Alright, alright, but seriously now, I'm proud of you," Billy stated, his tone serious yet warm. "Hard to believe you're the same kid who I dragged out of the river near Hunter's Camp half-dead. Killing a god, saving the world, finding a reason for your life, getting a great girl, you've come a long way since then. That's something you should always be proud of."

Grey smiled softly. "...Thanks, Billy. See you soon."

"See ya, Grey."

The click on the other end of the line prompted him to put the phone up with a smile.

_"Guess you're as excited as me,"_ Model A quipped in amusement as he floated over. _"Almost wish I had my own little tie to wear!"_

"Yeah, you'd be the talk of the party," Grey snorted as he looked over at the suit and took a deep breath. "It's all been building up to this...so why do I feel more worried than when we were getting ready to storm Ouroboros?"

_"Hey, I guess that's love for you,"_ the Biometal mused. _"But don't worry about it. You're gonna do great, and I'll be there every step of the way."_

Grey smiled again. While he wasn't lying about Billy being his first real friend, and Aile now holding an even deeper place in his heart, Model A would always have his own special place. Ever since that day when fate forced them together, one desperate not to die and the other determined to stay out of villainous hands no matter the costs, Grey couldn't imagine life without the snarky, somewhat cowardly hunk of metal.

"I wouldn't have any other Biometal there, Model A."

_"Now, if you would just take my advice on sweeping Aile off her feet..."_

Not to say Model A's advice was true mentor wisdom, of course...

* * *

_**Same Time, Guardian Base**_

Aile was silent as she eyed the dress on her bed with crossed arms and clenched jaw as she rubbed her still-damp hair after taking a shower. So innocuous, yet now that the moment of truth was only hours away she couldn't help but see it as a representation of everything she had been slowly building up to for the past few weeks. Even now, the temptation to throw it back in the closet, declare she wasn't going to the party, and taking the transerver to Area A to stay with Giro earlier than expected was quite strong.

_"Aile, stop trying to burn a hole into your clothes and bed. Prairie wouldn't be pleased at you wasting money like that."_

And there was Model X, floating by her head like a proverbial angel to remind her that she was being stupid.

"Right, right..." she muttered as she threw her head towel in the hamper and grabbed a hairdryer, turning it on full blast to finish the job. "Sorry...call it pre-mission jitters."

_"Of course. After all, the weapons and armor at your disposal are much different than what you prefer,"_ Model X played along, watching her then grab a brush and go at her hair._ "But I have no doubt you'll manage. You're a quick learner, after all."_

Aile smiled. She never said it to his face, but the blue Biometal always did remind her as something of a big brother or even father figure. He never ceased with the encouragement even at her lowest or when she was overreacting like right now. "...Thanks, Model X. I don't think I say that enough." She jerked her thumb at the door as she kept brushing. "Now why don't you be a gentleman and wait outside while I change?"

_"But of course."_ The hunk of metal floated to the wall and phased through it with a brief glow, leaving her alone.

As she finished brushing and pulled her hair into its usual style, once more she looked down at the dress. However, this time her mind's eye showed her a certain silver-haired and suit-wearing Reploid staring at her with wide eyes and a blush. The image prompted a wider smile from herself as she gripped the towel wrapped around her body and pulled it off, a part of her resolute to see that image become reality.

"Well, I was never what you'd call a coward..."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door Model X couldn't help but look around with equal parts amusement and curiosity. If he was in possession of a physical body still, he would have even raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. Before him were several members of the Guardians already dressed up in their own suits and dresses, all eyeing him with curious and anxious looks of their own.

_"I'm surprised you all don't have better things to do,"_ the Biometal quipped.

"Is it wrong to wait on the guest of honor?" came the smooth voice the Guardian's resident flirt, Scombrésoce, his white hair and beard combed impeccably as he struck a pose that somehow didn't clash with the well-made striped tuxedo he was wearing. "After all, she has a great part to play in the coming hours!"

The ever-serious Carrelet, wearing a simple black tux with white undershirt and his black hair combed, simply shrugged. "I wouldn't get so dramatic, but we just wanted to wish her luck with the party. Heard through the grapevine things are gonna be...special for her tonight."

Cédre, the spitfire who would usually never be caught dead wearing anything fancy, guffawed as she casually hefted her ever-present rocketlauncher (thankfully aimed firmly at the ceiling rather than anyone) on her shoulder while wearing a skin-tight blood-red dress matching the color of her hair, freed from its ponytail into a wild mane down her back. "'Special' is one way to put it, considering she finally got herself a boyfriend! Surprised it took this long for a girl like her."

Hareng just gave her a look with crossed arms, his pressed tux clashing with his blonde hair still in its "cool" spiky style. "Given our line of work and her role in it, it shouldn't be too surprising. She never was one for romance anyways until recently."

Thon, only wearing an undershirt that was struggling to contain his large frame of bustling muscle, laughed wholeheartedly. "Times change, don't they? I still remember when she first joined up as a greenhorn..."

X would have smiled if he had a mouth as he watched the Guardians start conversing amongst themselves and seemingly forgetting all about him for the moment. He didn't mind the lack of discipline in these off-hours, as it reminded him how tight-knit the group really was, like a large and slightly dysfunctional family.

_'Ciel and Prairie really did come a long way to make this possible...'_

"Umm...just to be sure, but Aile_ is_ fine, right X?" came the question from the ever-shy Rose, who had noticeably traded out her usual nurse outfit for a simple purple dress that matched her hair, still in its usual ponytail and bangs over her eyes.

_"Yes, Rose, she's fine. You'll see for yourself when she's finished."_

As if right on cue, there was a hissing noise as the door opened. Everyone turned their gazes to the door, conversation dying out...

* * *

_**That Afternoon, Legion Headquarters**_

The last time Grey had actually taken time to take in the sights at Legion, he had been busying fighting his way through Mavericks invading the city, blasting his way through ruined buildings, and running across blazing rooftops. Not to mention playing hide-and-seek with a robotic ninja determined to slice his throat open and leave his corpse with kunai lodged in his back. Add in the revelation that one of the three leaders of the world he had come to see to tell him about himself was actually a maniacal scientist with a god-complex, and it could be said that Grey didn't have many good memories of the place.

As a result, the Reploid couldn't help but let loose a small gasp of wonder as he entered the reception hall at long last, his fellow Hunters behind him and taking in the sights themselves.

From what he could see the place was definitely fancy and well-kept, with warm light from the chandeliers above lighting the room and showing the shiny luster of the white, purple, and gold walls and painted glass. Various paintings depicting events he assumed from from the wars of the past and various landmarks in the centuries since were dotted around the room. Heck, he could even see what seemed to be several large paintings covered by sheets with guards posted around it, as if awaiting being unveiled. The floors were covered with what he assumed could only be the finest carpets matching the walls. Multiple tables were dotted across the room, big enough that it could easily be comparable to a hanger back at Hunter's Camp, with a giant table set up for snacks and appetizers at the center. Farther back he could see a podium on a stage where he assumed the two remaining members of the Sage Trinity would appear on when the time was right. There was even an orchestra area, a band already playing soothing music on various instruments to fill the room.

For the first time, Grey could truly marvel and understand why Legion was seen as the heart of civilization. Only one other place could surpass the extravagance of what he was seeing now, and that was deep inside the Ouroboros when he stumbled upon the almost divine rooms housing the resurrected Pseudoroids of Master Albert. And even that had been a mere illusion to hide the pulsating forms of Model Ws behind the gilded glass and walls.

"This is a sight to remember, huh?" Billy uttered from near him, the man having removed his usual Hunter's uniform to wear a dark green tux for the occasion, his helmet and red visor gone to reveal black hair and brown eyes alongside a few scars on his face.

"...Yeah, it is," Grey muttered back as the group began to march inside, their entrance having attracted attention of several guests he could only assume were part of the wealthier class or even soldiers under Legion's employ enjoying themselves at the celebration. Some of the Hunters, like the ever-hungry Owl or the young Chris, immediately made a beeline for the food table. Others like Anna and Jim went off together to find a seat, while yet others like Pierre and Elena went to tables with several rich-looking people to start talking about business way above what Grey knew anything about.

Still, he couldn't spot the one person he really wanted to see...

"Well, well, if it isn't one of the two heroes of the hour!"

Grey turned his head to see a young woman dressed in blue with platinum blond hair and striking purple eyes right behind him, a notepad in one hand and a microphone and pen in the other. And yet, the smile wasn't simply of a reporter having sniffed out a scoop, but a genuine happy expression for seeing an old acquaintance.

"Carley," Grey greeted her back warmly. He had briefly taken a job for her some time back to find old Mechaniloid remains which she rewarded him handsomely for, and after the battle with Albert she had tracked him down for an exclusive interview (again, compensated generously for). As such, he didn't mind her questions. "I guess you're here for another story?"

"Well, technically I'm here as part of Hunter's Camp entourage to reap the rewards of public service, but who says I can't grab a few juicy tidbits from all the heroes showing up at this ball and get first-hand coverage of the ceremony?" She admitted all of this with a small chuckle. "But seriously, if you're worried about being hounded for another interview, don't worry. I just wanted to ask a few standard questions, you know, how honored you are about all this and stuff like that."

"I am honored, me and Model A," Grey admitted. "Even if I'm not really into big ceremonies, if the other Hunters and people who fought to save the world are enjoying themselves, I don't mind being here at all." He paused. "Of course, Model A always was a bit of a glory hog, so he's definitely enjoying himself."

_"Hey, I like being appreciated!"_ came the Biometal's call inside his head.

"How modest, as expected of you," Carley admitted, then her grin turned a little cheeky. "So, any comment on the rumors floating around about you and the Chosen One of Model X being...intimate? Cinq Ville has buzzed with word of the two of you being seen in public for the past week, after all."

Grey's face burned as he turned a shade of red nearly as bright as Model ZX. "W-What?"

Carley laughed. "Sorry, sorry...you don't have to answer that. Maybe I'll come back later when the Guardians actually show up so I can quiz you both together."

"Please don't..."

"No promises, Grey. But seriously, enjoy yourself. This is your time, after all."

With that, Carley walked off. Grey watched her go before he heard another voice call out his name.

"Grey!"

The Reploid turned his head to see Blossom, the cheerful blond wearing a purple dress and as always perched on the muscled shoulder of her father Warren, who was decked in his own tux that looked faded from disuse. They were quite a contrast, especially with how Blossom was happily digging into a vanilla ice cream cone while Warren held her steady.

"Enjoying yourself, Blossom?" he asked, pushing aside Carley's words for the moment.

Blossom hummed in affirmative. "You and Model A should try the ice cream! It's really, really good~!"

Grey smiled. "I will, but I don't think Model A can taste it..."

_"Why do you have to drop such hard truths...?"_

Blossom then leaned down and held out her other cone of chocolate, which Grey took and gave a lick before smiling at the cool taste. He looked at her father.

"What about you, Warren? Enjoying yourself?"

"..."

Though the man said nothing, as per usual, Grey could see the barest of nods and the creases of a smile on the stony countenance as he held his cheerful daughter and looked out at the gathering. Grey joined him, taking a moment to appreciate how there had yet to be a thrown punch or loud swear. Clearly, the Hunters were being on their best behavior in polite company.

"When is Aile coming?" Blossom asked innocently. "I wanna see her dressed all fancy too!"

"Soon," Grey assured her, looking about again as he licked his cone, already half-gone. "You're not the only one waiting..."

As if on cue there was a bustle near the main entrance to the room, causing Grey to turn his head towards it. He watched as Commander Prairie, her pink military uniform and cap traded out for a smooth green dress that left her arms bared and a slit along the side to show off her legs, walked in at the head of the newly-arrived Guardians, all in their own assortment of suits and dresses. She was all smiles, her bright blue eyes and flowing blonde locks cutting a figure that left many men (and several women) unable to look away. And yet, for as striking a figure did the commander cut, Grey found his eyes transfixed on the one right next to her.

Aile stood there wearing a dress of blue and black, with the top portion clinging to her chest and waist before billowing out into an asymmetrical skirt that ended on the left side slightly past her waist in a tuft of black and silver while the right side trailed down past her knee. The dress left her arms and shoulders bare, but that was where the arm-length gloves of black lace came in to cover up between her elbows and shoulders. Her legs were left completely bare of even the usual black bodysuit, revealing slender and smooth pale skin all the way down to her feet, which were framed by pearl-white anklets and blue high-heels. Though she had left her hair in its usual "short-hair-long-tail" appearance, it seemed to shine in the room's light, and her face was flushed as she tried to avoid making eye-contact with those watching her even as she smiled and waved good-naturedly while staying near Prairie's side.

_"...Well, hot diggity-dog..."_ Model A called out in his head.

Blossom giggled at Grey's stare. "You're like when Daddy first saw Mommy in her wedding dress..."

Grey jerked around to look at them both with a flushed face, nearly dropping what was left of his cone only to be surprised when Warren put his free hand on his shoulder.

"...What are you waiting for?" he rumbled softly as he gave Grey a slight push. "Go to her."

Grey barely managed to get a nod out as he made his way forward, doing his best not to attract too much attention to himself as he quickly finished off the last of his ice cream and wiped his mouth and hand with a spare napkin off a table. Granted, no one present at the moment save the Hunters and Guardians knew what he looked like outside of his Megamerged form, same as Aile, but he didn't want to do something stupid and cause a scene.

Still, he did notice several Hunters giving him thumbs-up of encouragement upon noticing his movement. He didn't know whether to be thankful or embarrassed.

'Probably both, by the end of this...'

* * *

Aile had done many things in her life some would call life-threatening. She had faced down against powerful Pseudoroids wanting to scrap her. She had killed a man who viewed himself as a god amongst men worthy of ruling the world. She had reenacted the showdown of the legendary hero Zero against the Four Guardians of Master X inside a doomsday machine.

And yet, why did it all seem so trivial compared to standing in front of a crowd while wearing a dress?

'Okay, X, I was wrong,' she thought as she continued to put on a smile, her eyes darting about fast enough to avoid focusing on any faces as she tried to catch a glimpse of silver hair. 'I wasn't ready for this. How quick can we Megamerge and run out of here?'

_"Now this is what I would call an overreaction. You didn't have this problem when you showed off to your fellow Guardians, and you haven't even seen Grey yet, after all."_

Aile resisted the urge to launch a retort when a hand went down on her shoulder, jolting her as she turned and looked into the bemused face of Prairie.

"You know, I recall a time when our places were reversed and it was I who was desperately trying to avoid a social situation," the commander mused. "How things change."

Aile rolled her eyes. "I was just trying to get you to relax off-duty and have some fun in new clothes."

"And here I am trying to get you to relax off-duty and have some fun in new clothes," Prairie noted, then shook her head. "Just relax. Now that we're here, Master Thomas and Mikhail will no doubt be making their entrance to start things. Bear through it, and I'll cover your retreat from the festivities to be where it truly matters."

Aile sighed. "Yeah, got it...and thanks, Prairie."

"No need..." Prairie's eyes flickered at motion nearby and smirked. "Besides, I think you'll be enjoying yourself sooner rather than later. Good luck."

With that, Prairie walked past her and suddenly stopped a few feet away to talk with someone. Aile, her eyes having been following the commander's movement on instinct, stiffened when she recognized just _who_ she was talking to.

_"Well, speak of the devil..."_

Sure enough, Grey was right there, neatly dressed in his suit and tie with even his slightly-messy hair combed for the occasion. She had to admit, that little detail gave him a more...mature look about him, especially when combined with his small facial scars. She couldn't quite hear what they were talking about, but the way Prairie suddenly looked back at her with a smirk and the light dusting of red on Grey's cheeks gave her some idea.

'Prairie, you're lucky you're the best girl friend I've got, because otherwise I'd be ready to get back at you with the worst prank possible when we're back on the Guardian Base...'

The exchange didn't last though, as Prairie then patted Grey on the shoulder and went on her way. The two stood still for a moment longer as the commander passed into the crowd before they walked towards each other, their meeting at last at hand.

"Hey, Grey," Aile greeted him, allowing a real smile to cross her lips when they were about arms-length from each other. "Glad to see you made it without issue. You're looking good. Handsome even."

"T-Thanks..." the red on Grey's face was still there as he scratched his cheek, his eyes darting as if he wasn't entirely certain where to look before finally settling on her face now that they were talking, his head tilting slightly upwards to look at her properly. "I wasn't sure if I would pull it off for something this fancy, but I managed. And you...you look beautiful."

Now it was Aile's turn to blush. Granted, it _was_ the reaction she wanted out of him, but actually hearing it for real set something aflutter in her chest. One hand came up to her hair and idly brushed some loose strands over her cybernetic ears.

"Thank you. I'm glad you think so."

Grey smiled, and despite herself she had to resist the urge to giggle or look away out of embarrassment. Was this how normal teens felt when acknowledged by their crushes?

_"A truly splendid reunion,"_ came Model X's voice, only hearable to the two Chosen Ones as they stiffened in response. Thankfully, no one around them seemed to notice. _"But a party awaits us, does it not?"_

_"Yeah, you guys! Let's have some fun before the Sage Trinity show up!"_ Model A cheered.

Aile rolled her eyes, and she was amused to see Grey do the same.

"Guess they have a point," she conceded.

"Yeah..." Grey agreed, then surprising Aile as he held out his hand and adopted a more formal stance. "May I?" he asked with an attempt at a "noble, refined" voice.

'Where did he learn that one?' she found herself wondering in bemusement. This time, she did allow a giggle to escape her, taking his hand as he perked up at seeing his show get a positive response.

"Lead on, my good sir," she played along. "I've been feeling rather faint for refreshments myself."

The two laughed yet again as he led the way, and Aile couldn't help but feel like Prairie was right about the evening looking up. Maybe this event would be fun before they left early.

* * *

**And that's part 2 down. For those among you hoping for some more "risque", I'll have to disappoint. While I'm not adverse to writing a lemon scene, it just didn't jive with the characters' mindsets at this point in their relationship or over the time frame the story takes place in without coming across as poorly contrived.**

**Well, anyways, one last part to go. Hope you'll all stay for the finale.**

**Review, favorite, and follow if you'd like!**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here's the third-part finale of what would have been a simple one-shot. It took time and doing, but I'm satisfied with what I made.**

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

* * *

_**Legion Headquarters**_

As it turned out, it was pretty fun. After grabbing some water and a few snacks from the table, Aile and Grey had found themselves wandering about the room introducing each other to various other Hunters and Guardian friends. Aile had found herself entranced listening to an archaeologist Hunter named Meg talk about a recent dig she was on where she found evidence of an ancient augmentation system for robots of a bygone era called "Double Gear" that could possibly be reverse-engineered today if she managed to decipher the written notes and encrypted/corrupted files at the site. Grey meanwhile had been roped into talking with resident Guardian scientist Fleuve about analyzing Model A and seeing what other secret data was stored inside him by Master Albert, and while amused by Model A's panicked and exaggerated pleas about not being taken apart by machines and his inner workings "violated", Grey politely declined the offer.

Aile took Grey to the paintings and murals adorning the walls and explained to him the significance of some of the works, such as an artist's rendition of the falling orbital cannon Ragnarok and its destruction at the end of the war between the reploid resistance and the former world government Neo Arcadia, ushing in world peace for over two centuries. She also pointed out depictions of even older events, such as a war-torn battlefield over which a titan in black and white was felled by two warriors in blue and red, looking very similar to Aile herself when she was Megamerged with Model X and Double-Megamerged with Models Z and X respectively, and another where those same two warriors battled a giant bald Reploid in green and purple armor.

"Thank X and Z for giving me history lessons," she mused as Grey asked how she knew these events so well. "First-hand accounts really are something."

Her face grew slightly melancholy at mentioning the missing Biometal in question, but Grey decided he didn't like seeing her sad in this place and led her along to find a distraction. (Un)fortunately for Aile, that distraction happened to be Carley, who managed to get the Guardian flustered upon popping the question of the rumors previously mentioned and noting how the two were holding hands and being generally close.

"You'd be surprised how easily flames of gossip are fanned by little actions like that," the reporter quipped when the two hurriedly let go upon being noticed. "But personally, I think it's quite cute, and world-saving heroes deserve the chance to be happy especially with each other. So by all means, keep going~!"

Needless to say, the two decided to down a few glasses of water to get their internal temperature back under control. And not a moment too soon, for Master Thomas finally arrived, dressed in his Sage Trinity robes and carrying the blunt red sword that served as the symbol of his office. He stopped only for a moment to converse with Prairie, though neither Aile nor Grey could hear what they discussed. After a minute or two they disengaged, the man walking to the back. The lights dimmed slightly to attract attention to him, and conversation died out as he ascended the platform with even the orchestra ceasing to play.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he called as he took his place at the raised podium near the front of the room, "it is with a warm heart and open arms that I welcome you, one and all, to this celebration. Tonight, I see amongst you many who have fought long and hard to protect Legion, nay, the world itself, from the evils of Mavericks. Whether it be for people, honor, money, friends, revenge, duty, you have all performed acts for which no amount of thanks or honors are truly adequate to repay. Though my colleague, Master Mikhail, is unfortunately unable to make this event due to recent issues I am not privy to make public, let me assure you all he shares my sentiments and sees you all as worthy heroes. He even insisted that I host the event over himself, saying that 'a few drinks and pretty ladies would due a hardass like you good for once.'"

There was some cheering and laughs from the crowd, though both Aile and Grey couldn't help but feel a strange sense of foreboding. Maybe it was just the suddenness of it all, especially since Aile couldn't recall the Guardians receiving any notice of this change. The two glanced at each other, but they didn't have time to ponder it as Thomas began to speak again.

"Regardless, there was a reason we chose to press on with this celebration rather than postpone. I believe not many of you are privy to the true importance of this date, save those involved directly in it," Master Thomas noted as he gazed out amongst the crowd. "Five years ago to this day, those among you known as Guardians challenged the madness of the man known as Serpent. Some of you may remember that name as the leader of Slither Inc., whose company was revealed to have been behind Maverick attacks in Innerpeace despite ostensibly protecting it from them. Some of you may have even seen the broadcast of Slither Inc. headquarters collapsing in a massive explosion the day it happened. What many of you do not realize was that Serpent was another pawn of Albert, who manipulated the man into attempting to awaken Model W early to get a head start on his goals. The Guardians fought to save the world and succeeded, and it proved to be a prelude to the titanic clash we faced but months ago."

Master Thomas paused for a moment, his gaze lighting onto Aile and Grey in the crowd. "We chose this day to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who have fought to defeat Model W from the very beginning as much as our victory at the very end. To that end, it is with the humblest request I ask that our guests of honor, the one who saved the world from Serpent and the one who saved it from Albert, to come forth and be recognized for all time."

Both Aile and Grey hesitated for a moment at realizing this was their moment, only to feel comforting presences in the back of their minds.

_"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's do this!"_ Model A spurred them on.

_"We are by your side to the end, just as you two are by each other's,"_ came Model X's sage words.

They looked at each other, and this time it was Aile who took the initiative and took Grey's hand as she smiled encouragingly. Grey nodded after only a moment more, and with that they pushed through the crowd, a light suddenly coming down and illuminating the pair as they stepped up to the platform, the orchestra playing once again as they did. The majority of the crowd didn't notice the hand-holding thanks to Model X and A finally appearing physically, drawing gasps of surprise from those who had never seen them before. Thomas noticeably glanced down at the sight of the human and reploid's held hands before they separated, but he only offered a slight smile as he turned back to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you all Aile of the Guardians, the Chosen One of Model X, and Grey of the Hunters, the Chosen One of Model A. Through their struggles and sacrifices, they triumphed over evil and put an end to Serpent, Albert, Model W, and all their plans. Would you say they deserve recognition for their deeds?"

"Of course!" came a shout from the crowd, which was quickly followed by affirmatives and sounds of cheering and clapping. Both Chosen Ones flushed under the praise, but made sure to offer smiles and waves, which just increased the crowd's enthusiasm.

Thomas was still smiling as the crowd calmed, addressing the two Chosen Ones directly. "Before we begin the feasting proper, I feel the need to ask: Do either of have words to say to your fellows that fought alongside and behind you through your battles?"

"Only that I'm proud to have fought with you all," Aile stated as she stepped up to the platform, Grey following her but staying behind. "When I was a little girl, I lost my mother to Mavericks but was saved by a hero much like many of you. My dream as a Mega Man has always been to help others and ensure they don't have suffer the same hardships I have. You have all helped me stay true to that dream by protecting those I can't reach on my own, and to not lose sight of myself with the power I possess. And thanks you all, I know I'm going to be able to keep striving for that dream. Thank you."

She stepped back and gave Grey a nudge forward as the crowd applauded and cheered. "Just say how you feel and be honest like you always are," she whispered.

Grey nodded and steeled himself as he gazed out at the crowd. "I-I feel the same as Aile," he briefly stuttered, but his voice grew stronger with conviction. "When I first awoke, I didn't know anything about the world and was going to be killed for reasons I didn't even understand. Despite that, someone was willing to reach out and save me without knowing a thing about me. I chose to be a Mega Man because I wanted to fight for those who helped me without wanting anything from me in return."

He glanced back at Aile for a moment before he said his next words. "Somebody special to me once said only I could decide my destiny no matter what anyone else said I was. Thanks to them, I want to make the world a peaceful place and enjoy the wonders of life with all of you. And I'll keep fighting for that dream to the end."

Clapping and cheering met the conclusion of his short speech, though as Grey stepped back his eyes were only on Aile, who was now blushing as knowing exactly who he was talking about.

_"What a charmer..."_ Model A muttered.

"Well said, both of you," Master Thomas congratulated. "And with that, let us begin the banquet proper. Eat and drink to your heart's content!"

Servitors quickly entered on cue, putting down various steaming dishes at tables that looked positively divine to the delight of guests tired of mere appetizers and sweets. Grey had to resist the urge to drool at the sight of so much scrumptious-looking food, and Aile wasn't far behind since she rarely indulged in such fine dining. Thomas chuckled lightly, a contrast to his usual stern nature.

"Go on and enjoy. This is your moment, after all," he told them quietly. "I was informed by Commander Prairie that you wish to leave earlier for a prior engagement. I will not keep you if that's the case, but I only ask you stay for say, another 30 minutes. That should allow everyone time to finish feasting and to properly reveal one last surprise." He gestured to the covered and guarded painting.

Aile nodded. "Of course, Master Thomas. It's no trouble at all."

Human and reploid stepped off the platform, already being waved over to a table with several Guardians and Hunters at it. Thomas watched them go, still wearing that slight smile.

And yet, it never quite reached his eyes.

* * *

"...And that's how and why Muguet threatened to shove Cedre's rocket launcher up her rear end, and why not even Aile gets on the head nurse's bad side if she can help it," finished the Guardian Maquereau as he took a sip of his wine.

"Hot damn," muttered the Hunter Richard as he bit into his cooked lobster. "Nurses can be scarier than anything than can put a guy in the med room. Kinda reminds me of how one time some poor fool tried to prank Anna by pretending her nightingale died..."

Thirty minutes never seemed to pass paradoxically so fast and yet so slow to Grey and Aile. Maybe it was the fact the dinner conversation seemed to meander in the oddest directions that left them wanting simultaneously to hear more yet forget they ever caught wind of it. As the two sat comfortably amongst the tables of mingling Guardians and Hunters, they dug into the rich steaming meals of meat, vegetables, fish and other things with gusto, and yet, both could feel the occasional knowing glances and hear the whispers from their companions at how they were sitting right next to each other dressed fancy, the memory of the two staying close to each other fresh on their minds.

_"I suppose that's the big failing of not explicitly confirming or denying you're in a relationship," _Model X noted to them. _"Your friends will oh-so-love musing on 'will they or won't they?'"_

_"I just wish I could make love with all this food..."_ Model A grumbled as he glanced around. _"One of the few times I wished us Biometals had a sense of smell!"_

"You're welcome to it..." Grey groaned a little as he put his fork and spoon down and leaned back against his chair. "I don't think I could take another bite...maybe I shouldn't have had the snacks earlier..."

"I feel you..." Aile concurred as she leaned back with a content sigh and, struck by a whim, lifted her arm and rubbed his back. "Gonna be sick?"

"Nah..." Grey replied, glancing over with a smile. "Thanks for the concern though."

The two were aware of the smiles from their dinner compatriots, but they ignored them, and thankfully no one said anything embarrassing. Everyone's attention was soon back on Master Thomas anyways as he took to the podium once more.

"I hope you have all enjoyed yourselves tonight at this celebration," he began as he looked out amongst them. "Of course, I am aware there are those among you who must leave sooner than the rest of us for personal obligations. On that note, I feel it is time to unveil a few final items of interest to you all." He gestured to the paintings upon the walls. "Legion has long believed in acknowledging the heroism of the past that established the peace of the present and hopeful utopia of the future. As such, it is only right in light of the conflict with Model W that we add to the immortalizations of history."

With a wave of his hand, a guard grabbed one of the covers and pulled it off with a practiced flourish, revealing a large painting depicting the flower-like structure of the Slither Inc. head office building. Surrounding it were countless Mavericks and eight animalistic Mechaniloids that those in the know recognized as Pseudoroids, with the image of Serpent superimposed above it all holding a triangular Model W in his grip with a triumphant grin while two other Mega Men stood ominously in the background, one wielding a staff and the other a scythe. Facing up against it all was a host of Guardians armed and ready to protect innocent citizens, and in the center of the image was Aile as Mega Man Model ZX, staring upwards with laser blade drawn and six different Biometals around her with a blond-haired Reploid in red floating translucently like a ghost by her side.

A round of applause filled the room at the sight, most noticeably from the Guardians themselves. Aile smiled as she took in the picture, her eyes especially on the blond Reploid in question.

'Giro...' she thought fondly yet sadly. 'Are you still watching, even now...?'

Grey's attention, meanwhile, was on those two Mega Men, a small frown tugging at his mouth as he recalled the last time he saw them: unconscious and beaten in a collapsing lair under the sea, victims of failed treachery. They had tried to kill him multiple times and were responsible for many atrocities across the globe, but knowing what he did about their pasts, he still felt pity for them as victims of Albert like so many others. He would have saved them without hesitation if it were possible then, and he still felt the same now and even discounting the truth of their relationship that he learned after the fact.

'Prometheus...Pandora...are you still out there...?'

He liked to believe that, even if the chances were incredibly slim to none, that his siblings had survived and were living their lives in peace free of Albert. And if not...then he still hoped they were at peace.

Another guard went to the second painting and pulled off the covers, revealing a similarly-large painting of the massive floating tail-devouring serpent that was the Ouroboros, the Model W fusion. As with the other picture, once more countless Mavericks surrounded it with eight more Pseudoroids about, Master Albert dominating it all clad in the armor of his Megamerged form. This time, however, there were four other Mega Men, each wielding one of the six Aile had once used, alongside the two from before leering ominously down at the assembled Hunters and Guardians preparing for battle. Aile, still clad as Model ZX, was no longer alone as Grey as Mega Man Model A stood side-by-side with her, both ready to face the storm together with arms drawn and pointed in challenge.

More cheering erupted from the crowd, mostly from the Hunters. The two Mega Men smiled and applauded as well, though a part of them felt mixed at seeing those four still-missing enemy Mega Men. They couldn't help but wonder where they were now, as well as what plans they had could have in waiting.

And of course, what they would know about Model Z...

_"In time, you two, in time..."_ Model X told them quietly.

As the applause died down, Thomas spoke once more.

"Thank you all for your approval of these works. However, let this be said here and now. Everyone in this room, regardless of what part they played in the battles fought against Model W or their personal reasoning, is a hero. You all took a stand for your way of life and said "no" to a madman that wanted to reset for his idea a "better" one." He smiled as he spoke. "Be proud that you helped save the world, and I for one sincerely hope you will all face the future with the same zeal to make it better the right way."

The audience erupted in full force as the Sage Trinity member moved away, clapping and cheering filling the room as the buzz of conversation erupted anew between eating. Aile judged this as good a time as any to leave and tapped Grey's shoulder to get his attention.

"Shall we get going?" she asked him.

Grey nodded. "Alright."

The two stood up, the Guardians and Hunters around them giving them grins and saying goodbyes with encouragement. Some even got up to distract others from noticing the pair make their getaway, with Guardians and Hunters further away getting the hint and running interference themselves to keep the majority of the crowd's focus elsewhere. On a whim, the pair even grabbed a few snacks and some spare water bottles from the snack table as they went. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the two even ran into Prairie already near the exit with arms crossed and watching with in a way that made both of them feel a little self-conscious.

"Have a great time, you two," she lightly teased, giving Grey a noticeable look that caused him to flush further. "And remember what I told you, Grey."

Aile had to resist the urge to shove her friend and commanding officer as they went through the door.

"I'm almost afraid to ask..." she began, but Grey cut her off.

"It's nothing...at least, not right now. I'll tell you eventually..." he muttered while scratching his head. "So...to Area A?"

She nodded. "Yeah..." she looked around and noticed there weren't many people roaming the halls that weren't guards as they made their way to the transerver room. "We don't need to change. Our Megamerged forms will do to get us there once we use the transerver."

"Figured as much." He changed the conversation. "So...the party was pretty fun."

Aile smiled. "I'll say. The food, the atmosphere, the people, the paintings...I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Guess we really did need it."

_"I'm with you on that!" _Model A chirped._ "For a fancy-shmancy shindig it was great! No worry about appeasing high society and we got all the praise!"_

_"I concur," _Model X added. _"And not a single brawl occuring. A picture-perfect party by all means."_

The Chosen Ones and Biometals quickly reached the transerver room, Aile plotting in the coordinates to their destination.

"You know..." she started. "If you really enjoyed yourself, you can stay if you-"

"Trying to get rid of me that quickly?"

Aile flushed. "N-No, I just-" she turned her head to clarify, only to see him giving her an almost...cheeky(?) smile. It threw her for a loop for a second, so used she was to him taking things so seriously. "Was that sarcasm?"

"I can do it too, you know," he answered, his face shifting to a more earnest, but still smiling look. "But I know where I want to be right now. And it's wherever you are."

Aile had to turn away again, on instinct wanting to hide her blush from him.

_"Hmm...with practice, he could become a true ladykiller..."_ Model X mused.

'Not helping, X...' she told him mentally as she finished putting in the coordinates. "Guess I need to live up to expectations then."

She stepped up to the platform and took Grey's hand as she went to pull him onto it with her. Both Biometals floated up to join them, only to pause and stare away in the same direction, which took a second for the Chosen Ones to register.

"Something wrong?" Grey asked.

Both Biometals looked at each other and there seemed to be an unspoken message passed between them before turning to their Chosen Ones.

"We thought we saw something, but it seems to have been nothing," Model X said simply.

"You didn't notice because you were too busy looking at each other," Model A added. "Come on, let's go do that nighttime vigil!"

Aile and Grey looked at each other but shrugged, deciding they could grill the two later if it was really important. Aile pressed a button on the panel and with a flash of light they were all gone.

* * *

As soon as they vanished, the area where the two Biometals had stared at shimmered before four youths now stood there in the previously-empty room. If anyone present at the party could have seen them, however, they would immediately recognize them as the four Mega Men from the painting that fought in Albert's Game of Destiny, alive and well.

"Regardless of orders and need to keep up appearances, I still feel we should have finished them here and now," said the first one, a white-haired man clad in green and yellow with his voice reeking of pride and elitism and a sword sheathed at his side. Aeolus, the Wind Mega Man and Chosen One of Model H. "To not end the enemy when they are unknowingly in the palm of our hand is the height of foolishness."

"SIMULATIONS USING PRIOR COMBAT DATA AND CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES INDICATE CHANCES OF VICTORY AT...51.368%," came a monotone robotic voice in response, the owner a male reploid with black hair, purple clothing, and a red scarf around the lower half of his face. Siarnaq, the Shadow Mega Man and Chosen One of Model P. "UNKNOWN FACTORS IN THE CURRENT STRENGTH OF MEGA MAN MODELS A AND X HAMPER CONCLUSIVE RESULTS."

"Yeesh, that low? Well, I guess surprise only goes so far when one of them fought all four of us together to a draw and the other IS the unofficial Mega Man King..." mused a young voice belonging to another male teenage reploid, with matching blue hair and jacket. Thetis, the Ice Mega Man and Chosen One of Model L. "And I mean, we ARE taking a risk just being out here while the party's still going. The old master won't be happy to know we snuck out before the oncoming "grand event" happens..."

"Does it really matter in the end?" a rough voice asked, silencing all of them. The speaker was a tall, well-built woman clad in orange with brown hair and a noticeable shock of orange in the front. Atlas, the Flame Mega Man and Chosen One of Model F. "We came here despite orders because we wanted to see how they were doing thinking they've won, and we did that. Let them all have their small peace for a little longer. As winners of the first Game of Destiny, they've earned that much before Round 2 begins." She clenched her fist hard. "And then we'll crush it all to dust."

The others had no reply, their silence conceding to the fourth's point. The four then vanished in bursts of teleportation of their own, leaving no trace of their presence.

* * *

_**Area A**_

The arrival at Area A took only an instant it seemed. The journey through the dark forest and up the cliff to the site of Giro's grave was quick with their Mega Man forms easily traversing the terrain and dealing with the odd wild Mechaniloid that tried its luck and came up short. It was a journey made in silence by all, Aile wrapped up in her thoughts while Grey and the Biometals respected her privacy.

As they finally reached the top, the two flopped down on the grass and deMegamerged, feeling the cool night air on their skin through their dress clothes and not caring at all if said clothes became dirtied in the process. Grey looked up at the night sky, smiling at the twinkling stars above with no clouds covering the view.

"Beautiful night for a vigil," he mused softly.

Aile looked up herself and concurred with an affirmative grunt. "Guess you do a lot of camping out under the stars, huh?"

"When I can. It helps that I can transform in an instant to protect myself from anything sneaking up. I'll never deny a warm bed and hot shower though." The two chuckled at that. "But Model A and I have never camped out under such a clear and shining sky before though. Guess that's another thing I need to thank you for."

"You're welcome then." Aile then stood up and started walking towards Giro's gravestone, Grey following after her.

"Don't worry, I don't really have a ritual or anything fancy for this," she admitted as they both knelt down near the grave. "I just sit down and...talk a little and think a lot in the quiet. But since you're here..." she looked back at the gravestone. "I guess I can start by telling those stories I promised you about him. They're not really bedtime-story certified, I'll warn you from the start."

"I didn't feel that sleepy anyways," Grey answered back, reaching out his hand and taking hers. She looked down at it for a moment, but returned the motion as she looked up at him with a smile.

"Well then, let's start with how I first met Girouette..."

Grey couldn't help but be enraptured by the tales Aile weaved. He listened with horror as she described the Maverick attack on an amusement park that killed her mother when she was only four and would have taken her too had she not hid and the Guardians not arrived before the Slither Inc. security force, just one of many "incidents" planned by Serpent to harvest Cyber Elves for Model W, and Giro himself pulled her from her hiding spot and got her to safety amidst the destruction.

"I never knew my father really," she clarified. "Mom would only say he went missing during a Maverick attack that Slither once again was too late to stop and could only clean up."

"Guess I have the opposite problem...though I don't think I ever had a 'mother' to begin with," Grey admitted. "What was her name? Your mother's, I mean."

"If you really want to know, just go around the tree," Aile replied. "There's a reason I set up Giro's stone here, after all."

Grey blinked and did so, reluctantly letting go of Aile's hand and feeling her gaze on him as his went around. There he spotted an older and more worn stone, but the writing was just as clear.

_Fae_

_2398-2422_

_Beloved friend and mother_

_Missed, but never forgotten_

"Aile..." he muttered softly as he turned back, meeting her gaze again. He briefly recalled back during one of their first meetings when she talked about how she lost close friends against Model W. "I...I'm sorry..."

"It's alright. None of it is your fault...and besides, I would have shown you eventually anyways." She patted the ground again. "Now, let's keep going."

Grey sat back down near her and felt sympathy as she described those first weeks, even months living with Giro as he tried to get her to open up to him and the world again, taking all her anger, rebellion, and grief in stride as he never turned her away and instead only offered comfort and support as she slowly picked up the pieces and accepted her new life.

"He never got angry with how bratty I could get. When I once yelled at him he wasn't my mom, he admitted I was right and he would never replace her in my heart, nor did he ever want to." She shook her head with a smile. "He just wanted a place alongside her. Of course, he would lay down the law hard if I did something really bad. But I was always more afraid of disappointing him than somehow pushing that seemingly unreachable anger button."

Grey laughed as Aile described her and Giro's various misadventures over the years, from her first disastrous day on the job at Giro Express (she mixed up orders and managed to send a poor reploid man a bunch of "naughty" material...) to Giro getting buried under a pile of boxes because a stray dog wandered into the storage room and the resulting failed attempts to catch it.

"We actually kept the dog for awhile," Aile reminisced warmly. "We named it Rush, but we had to let him go because his owner finally found him after searching for weeks."

And so it went, Aile recounting the tales of the past while Grey listened with rapt attention, sparingly eating the snacks they brought. Many stories were happy, others sad, but they wove a tapestry worthy of record. They barely even noticed the passage of time, and it was with some shock they noticed the sky was beginning to lighten up with the coming of dawn.

Aile yawned softly, suddenly noticing how parched her throat was as she sipped some of the bottled water. "Oh...I didn't think I'd talk that long..."

"I didn't mind at all..." Grey admitted as he sipped his own. "In fact, I'm thankful. I feel like I really know you now, Aile. I just wish I had a past even half as interesting to tell or remember in return..."

Aile shook her head. "Don't worry, Grey. The past might help forge who we are, but it isn't the end-all, be-all. Honor it, but don't let it rule you. Our futures are decided by who we want to be, not who we were or even who we are now." She smiled. "And I'm sure that if Mom or Giro were here, they'd love to meet you regardless."

Grey smiled in appreciation, fighting a yawn of his own. "Thanks...and as for the future?"

He squeezed his hands on instinct, curling one of them around Aile's after they had come to hold each other yet again over the past several hours. He leaned back onto the grass, not caring for any stains it would leave on his dress clothes anymore than hours earlier.

Aile smiled as she held his hand back, scooting over closer to him as she felt the drowsiness push over her and laying down. "Like I said at the party. I want a future where people can be even a little bit safer, where they don't suffer like I had to. I want to walk that path with others who think the same."

Now they were shoulder-to shoulder again, and both of them could feel the other's body heat and smell each other's scent. Aile then turned over on her side so she was facing towards him.

"And I especially want you to be there with me to make it reality, if you'd have me. What about you, Grey?"

Grey turned his head to meet her gaze, taking in just how beautiful she looked in the moment. Some would say he was being biased, but to him, it was like looking at a goddess.

"Like I said a long time ago, I want to keep traveling the world and discovering myself. But I also want to walk that path with you. Who says I can't do both? It's my journey, after all. It can go any way I want it to."

Staring into each other's eyes, they both then recalled that moment they shared in the park of Cinq Ville, so similar yet different to this one now. Namely, the fact they were alone with no one else to judge them save their Biometals, who had already made it clear how they felt about all this.

'...Could I...?'

'...Is it right to now...?'

As their minds raced, Model X and A were watching unnoticed and silent, though they communicated amongst themselves mentally.

_'So...should we do something...?'_

_'Give them a minute or two. They can be dense, but they'll come to a conclusion.'_

"...Hey, Grey," Aile finally said quietly, "remember back at the park in Cinq Ville? When we first decided to give this...relationship a shot?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you...want to try for the 'next step' now?" She blushed. "I-I mean, if you don't forget I said anything and let's just-"

She was cut off by Grey suddenly leaning in, his forehead tapping against hers as his face grew just as red.

"I think...we've done enough hand-holding to get to this point," he answered softly. "I am if you are."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes and words finally broke the last barrier of resistance in Aile's mind. She wasn't even aware of her own thoughts at that point, just the sudden realization her body leaned in and pressed her lips to Grey's. There was a moment's hesitation, but both then found their arms around the other as they pulled themselves into an embrace while still maintaining their kiss.

It wasn't anything fancy. Not some grand victory smooch or that of two star-crossed lovers reuniting. Just a simple kiss and hug. It was...nice. Not mind-meltingly good or anything a typical romance story would describe in prose, just nice. One might call it simple, plain even.

But Aile and Grey, who both had a passion for the simple things, found that to mean more than any sort of grand ceremony or declaration of love. Slowly, reluctantly, they separated in order to breathe, staring into each other's eyes with flushed faces filled with happiness and some small amount of lust at their closeness.

"...I'll take that for a yes," Grey noted breathlessly. "I guess I need to tell Prairie the good news."

"...That's what she was talking about?" Aile asked.

Grey chuckled. "Yeah..."

Aile rolled her eyes and snuggled in closer to him. "I'll deal with her later...let's just sleep for now..."

Grey snuggled back. "Way ahead of you, Aile...sweet dreams." Pressed by boldness, he kissed her again, enjoying the taste of her lips.

Aile giggled, music to the reploid's ears. "With you here? Certainly..."

Both of them shut their eyes with content sighs and basked in each other's warmth as they laid on the grass, each with their own thoughts.

'Never thought my life would go like this. Mom, Giro...if you're still watching, thanks for everything. I'm not going to waste what you've all given me. I'll protect this world and everyone I love. And Model Z...if you're still out there, we will find you...'

'Thank you, Aile...I'm going to make that future come true, for all of us. I'll help make that world where we all have the chance to enjoy this kind of happiness. I won't let any Maverick take that right from us.'

And with that, human and reploid drifted off to sleep at last.

* * *

_"What a sweet moment..."_ Model A mused softly as he watched the pair drift off.

_"Indeed,"_ Model X agreed. _"It's these moments that remind me why I still fight, even long after I've resigned myself to just mentoring and lending my power to the next generation."_

_"...Speaking of the next generation, do you think back at Legion that was really the other Mega Men?"_

_"Perhaps. And if true, that leaves many questions with disturbing answers and potential battles on the horizon. But right now, let's let these two enjoy themselves a bit longer. The time will come for them to fight soon enough." _The blue Biometal's voice grew proud._ "And they will fight. And they will be victorious."_

_"...Yeah, you're right,"_ Model A agreed._ "They can handle anything those punks can throw at them. And I bet Model Z would say the same."_

_"Yes...yes he would and will when we find him..." _Model X mused as he looked back at the grave of the former Model Z Mega Man._ "I know it."_

* * *

**_Underground, Legion Headquarters_**

Meanwhile, in a room deep below Legion, a certain red and black Biometal floated in a pod hooked up to various devices with scrolling data running along their screens. He wasn't at all interested in any of that though, his alert gaze on a certain screen set up right in front of his pod that was playing a recording of the party that had been going on above, the guests oblivious to his presence. The act hadn't been one of mercy by his captor, but rather a method of showing just how helpless he was in his current state, so close to so many friends and allies but unable to reach any of them. There wasn't even audio, just visual output to drive the separation home.

_'If this is Thomas' idea of a joke, then I have to say he needs new material,'_ Model Z mused softly to himself as he watched the man gesture to the crowd and speak inaudible words no doubt rehearsed for the occasion. _'It'll take worse than this to break my will...'_

He wasn't blind to why the member of the Sage Trinity had imprisoned him here. That little stunt he pulled on Ouroboros to stop those enemy Mega Men no doubt had Thomas intrigued as to _how_ he did it, especially given how traitorous those four immortal warriors really were. The possibility of a failsafe against inevitable betrayal was probably the only reason he was still intact and not torn to pieces to be used in some Pseudoroid for world conquest.

Of course, that was cold comfort. Some part of Model Z had to admit he did feel just a little helpless at being unable to reach his comrades and friends, to warn them of the wolf in sheep's clothing amongst them just waiting for the right moment to backstab them all. To let them know he was still kicking and that they didn't have to keep wondering if they were just chasing a ghost in trying to find him.

But at the same time, another part of him felt hope. Hope that despite the odds, they would all still triumph in the face of the threats amassing without their knowledge. Just as he himself once did time and time again, whether it be alone or with those he called friend and ally, be long past or still around.

After all, they had two good fighters leading the charge nearly as good as himself and X.

_'Speaking of...'_ he mused as his gaze focused on two people in particular in the recording, especially on how they were holding hands. _'I know I told her to take care of Grey, but I didn't think they'd take it like that...'_

Not that he was angry or disappointed. He knew Aile well and that she had a good head on her shoulder. And Grey seemed to be an earnest, if blunt and occasionally clueless sort. They would be just fine. In fact, he was almost disappointed he couldn't be there to tease them like he knew X probably had been doing.

_'Hope they tell me all the details when they finally bust me out...'_ he noted, even while knowing his chances were slim. But when had he ever cared for the odds? He just had to believe.

_"...And when have the people I believed in ever proved me wrong in the end?"_ he said aloud, his voice proud as he watched the crowd silently cheer for Aile and Grey on that stage together, thinking of a blue-armored robot comrade-in-arms fighting to protect everyone, a pink-clad scientist determined to save the world, and a red-clothed warrior intent on protecting one girl.

Yes, he was certain they wouldn't disappoint for Round Three of saving the world.

* * *

**And that's that! I do admit, I was a bit on the fence about including the scenes with the four Mega Men and Model Z, but I felt that I might as well since, well, the former are still a lingering threat needing to be stopped and the latter is still missing and would likely play some role in a hypothetical _MMZX 3_, which this is alluding to eventually happening.**

**Still, I told the story I wanted to tell. This all also meant more to me than just being a love letter to two of my favorite characters from my favorite Mega Man series that's finally getting remastered and potentially may finally be getting a sequel in the future. It was also a chance to flex my writing ability again after going on and off on it for the past few years without releasing anything. Does this mean, for my various followers from my other works, that I'm finally getting back into the swing of it?**

**Well..."maybe". I DO have something in the works (_Fate_-related, yes), but given my schedule it could take a long time to finally see the light of day. I don't make promises, but I will say it IS being worked on. Who knows, it might very well be out before _MMZX 3_ (we can only hope).**

**Regardless, I hope those among you did indeed enjoy this story. I freely admit it's rough around the edges, but I truly enjoyed the process of making it and I hope some of that love managed to shine through to reach you all.**

**Review, favorite, and follow if you'd like! I do appreciate it when you take the time out to do so, and I thank everyone who has done so already! May your day be merry!**


End file.
